Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) recently expressed support for President Trump’s promise to enforce trade rules while also asserting Chinese steel overcapacity is an urgent priority.
“President Trump is right that we must enforce the rules so American workers can compete on a level playing field, and he can start right now by taking strong action against China’s steel overcapacity,” Brown said. “China’s cheating is shuttering American factories and American steelworkers cannot afford to wait any longer for relief.”
During a message delivered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the President said America would not turn a blind eye to trade competitors who cheat and would enforce its trade laws.
Brown wrote to Trump in November 2016, offering specific steps to work together on trade and Trump responded with a handwritten note. Brown has called on Administrations of both parties to help reduce China’s steel overcapacity, which leaves American steelworkers and companies at a competitive disadvantage.
Brown’s legislation, the Leveling the Playing Field Act, was signed into law in June 2015 and has been credited with restoring strength to antidumping and countervailing duty statutes.
The measure allows businesses and workers in the United States to petition the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission (ITC) when foreign producers, including China, sell goods in the United States below market price or receive illegal subsidies.