Walorski praises president’s proclamations to adjust U.S. steel, aluminum import tariffs

U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) commended U.S. President Donald Trump’s recently signed proclamations adjusting tariff exclusions on imports of steel and aluminum into the United States.

Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended, authorizes the president to adjust the imports of an article and its derivatives that are being imported into the United States in such quantities or under such circumstances so as not to threaten to impair national security, according to the proclamations Trump signed on Aug. 29.

“I welcome President Trump’s action to ensure local businesses are treated more fairly and to protect American jobs,” Rep. Walorski said on Aug. 31.

Trump’s actions overall address “some of the concerns I have raised after hearing from manufacturers across the country,” Walorski said, adding that the president’s “common-sense fixes will go a long way toward improving the process.”

On behalf of manufacturers and other small businesses, Rep. Walorski in May called for improvements to the product exclusion process for steel and aluminum tariffs in a bipartisan letter she spearheaded that received signatures from 38 other members of Congress.

The lawmakers asked U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to implement 10 recommended changes to streamline the process and provide relief for such businesses affected by the tariffs.

The new proclamations include some of the 10 recommendations and will provide limited grandfathering for certain contracts for steel from quota countries; and extend retroactivity of relief to the date of filing, rather than the date of posting, according to the congresswoman’s statement.

“It has been clear from the beginning that the product exclusion process for steel and aluminum tariffs is broken,” Rep. Walorski said last week.

The lawmaker also noted that she “will continue working with Secretary Ross to bring about additional improvements” because she’s still uneasy about the change that now permits companies to file for exclusions for products from countries subject to quotas, according to her letter.

“I remain concerned about the lack of transparency and consistency for companies seeking product exclusions,” the congresswoman wrote.