Stauber Demands President Biden Keep Steel Tariffs on China Amid Discussion of Potential Lifting

Letter

Today, Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) sent a letter to President Joe Biden demanding the Biden Administration keep tariffs on steel from Communist China following discussion that the Administration is potentially considering lifting tariffs. Keeping the steel tariffs in place would support Minnesota workers and families by continuing to protect northern Minnesota's taconite industry. These tariffs were implemented by the Trump Administration in May 2018.

Full text of Congressman Stauber's letter:

Dear President Biden,

I recently spoke with a family in my district in northern Minnesota who is having genuine trouble paying for groceries and affording gas to drive to work each day. The only thing keeping their head above water is the union job at a local taconite mine that supports their family. While these are some of the best paying jobs in the Northland, most families in the region are now living paycheck to paycheck and dipping well into their savings.

This story is not a unique one across northern Minnesota and the Iron Range.

With these families in mind, I write to you extremely concerned with recent reports that you and your Administration are considering further repealing tariffs on China including, specifically, tariffs on steel and aluminum imports as well as on steel-intensive imported products. Simply put, your decision to end these tariffs would have a devastating, direct, and immediate impact on these very families and workers in northern Minnesota and throughout steel country.

Given your recent action in ending investigations into child labor in Chinese-made solar panels, I urge you to end your deference towards Communist China, and instead, put the American worker first. The American steel industry and workers on the Iron Range built this country and provided the means to win two world wars. At a time when inflation is at a 40-year high and families are fighting for their survival, I urge you to not turn your back on them by relaxing tariffs on Communist China and putting these hardworking labor union Americans in the unemployment line.

My constituents are already paying more at the pump, more at the grocery store, and more for nearly everything for basic living needs. Please do not exacerbate this dire economic situation and inflict added harm across the Iron Range by repealing steel and aluminum tariffs. My constituents are hurting enough as it is.

Sincerely,

Pete Stauber
MEMBER OF CONGRESS

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