U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) led a bicameral group of Republican colleagues from Florida in urging federal officials to speed up steel and aluminum tariff-exemption negotiations with U.S. allies and partners, including those in South America.
“Negotiations with Colombia should be a priority,” wrote Rep. Curbelo, who was joined by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and U.S. Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) in signing the Oct. 18 letter sent to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
In Colombia, specifically, they wrote, an outgoing president previously promised to strengthen the U.S.-Colombia trade relationship by cooperatively fixing deficiencies in how certain U.S. industries were being treated, according to their letter.
“It is essential that our government continue to work with President Iván Duque and his administration to ensure Colombian commitments are upheld,” wrote the members. “Efforts to secure mutually beneficial trade in steel and aluminum can provide a new opportunity to facilitate and secure U.S. trade goals with our vital Colombian partners.”
The members expressed support for efforts by Ross and Lighthizer to fight the ongoing steel and aluminum overcapacity problem that has been worsened by Chinese overproduction. They also agreed that exceptional measures be weighed to compel China to abide by the current international, rules-based trading system.
“We appreciate your successful efforts to negotiate steel and aluminum quotas for imports from Brazil and Argentina,” wrote the lawmakers. “Therefore, we respectfully request that you expedite negotiations of additional exemption agreements with our allies and partners, both in South America and around the world, to isolate [China] and other bad actors to fully address this global problem.”
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 permits the executive branch to investigate “the effects on the national security of imports,” according to the U.S. Commerce Department, which would conduct the investigations and then present a report on its findings to the president within 270 days.
The president then has 90 days to decide whether he agrees with the department’s findings. If the president does concur, then he may use the statutory authority granted under Section 232 “to adjust the imports” as necessary, including through tariffs or quotas, according to the Commerce Department.
“We urge you to engage in negotiations with the Colombian government on country exemptions related to steel and aluminum that include effective and enforceable controls on transshipments, and that ensure continued progress by the Duque Administration in meeting the important trade commitments made earlier this year by the previous administration,” wrote Rep. Curbelo and his colleagues.
The members said they “stand ready” to assist the officials in furthering efforts to revitalize trading relationships between the U.S. and its allies” to strengthen our nation’s standing both at home and abroad.”