Toomey Statement on Biden Administration Deal with EU on Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

Press Release

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) released the following statement after the Biden Administration announced a new deal with the European Union to replace steel and aluminum tariffs applied via Section 232 authority with tariff-rate quotas (TRQs).

"The Biden Administration's agreement with the EU to lessen the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum and suspend the EU's retaliatory tariffs is a step in the right direction, and it will bring much-needed relief to many American workers.

"However, while this is a positive first step, tariff-rate quotas are not an acceptable long-term solution. For three long years, American workers, consumers, and manufacturers have been bearing the burden of protectionist tariffs--costing over 75,000 manufacturing jobs thus far. Continuing to label our allies a "national security threat' through tariff-rate quotas is unwarranted and will only continue to cost Americans jobs and opportunities.

"Additionally, using Section 232 tariffs as negotiating leverage to enact concessions on climate change is inappropriate and outside the scope of the original Section 232 investigation. I encourage the Biden administration to fully remove the Section 232 tariffs on the EU and our other allies and instead work to address the legitimate national security threats facing our country.

"These actions further underscore the need for Congress to take up my legislation to reassert congressional authority over these important decisions."

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