WASHINGTON, D.C., (April 25, 2022) — Today, Americans for Free Trade (AFT) spokesperson Jonathan Gold released the following statement regarding Section 301 tariff exclusion provisions under consideration by the congressional conference committee reconciling legislation passed in the Senate and the House of Representatives to increase competition with China.
“It is imperative that the language calling for a new, transparent Section 301 tariff exclusions process included in the Senate version of the legislation is part of the final bill. The tariffs currently in place have proven to be an ineffective negotiation tactic, with China having fallen well short of its purchase commitments detailed in the Phase One Trade Deal. Instead, these tariffs continue to place an overwhelming burden on U.S. businesses, farmers, manufacturers, and consumers, as illustrated by a Moody’s Investor Service Report showing China paid just 7.6 percent of the cost of the tariffs while the rest fell to Americans. Tariffs make U.S. businesses less competitive globally, and providing businesses with a process to receive exemptions from these costly tariffs could provide much-needed relief.”
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