Opponents Brown, Renacci unite in backing China tariffs
commission acts.
“Our trade laws were writ- ten to help protect U.S. work- WASHINGTON — Sen. Sher- ers and businesses from rod Brown and his Senate unfair trade practices,” Republican opponent Rep. Brown told the panel. “I’m Jim Renacci urged the Inter- hoping the outcome in this national Trade Commission case will help to prevent to retain tariffs on imports of more Ohio bearings work- roller bearings from China, ers from getting pink slips.” a move backed by The Tim“Whether it’s Chinese proken Co., which produces ducers — like in today’s case steel bearings. — or Korean producers, for
Testifying before the comeign competitors have conmission last week, Brown, sistently used unfair trade D-Ohio, said the eventual practices to attempt to gain ruling is “critical” for Tim- market share in the U.S,” ken, which is headquartered Brown said. “And they’ve in Canton. The tariffs were been doing it for decades.” first imposed more than 30 Renacci, a congressman years ago and are scheduled from Wadsworth, submitto expire unless the trade ted written testimony to the commission, declaring “domestic producers will not be able to effectively compete if the anti-dump- ing order is revoked.”
“R e newal of the anti-dumping order is desperately needed to protect our domestic producers from unfair trading practices that distort the market,” Renac- ci’s written testimony said.
“Our local manufactur- ers depend on a level playing field, and I sincerely hope that upon reviewing the record the commission will conclude that an affirmative final determination is warranted in this case,” Renacci said.
Both Senate candidates have backed the tariffs in the past.
Timken employs more than 1,400 in Ohio out of a total workforce of 15,000 throughout the world.
The tariffs must be reviewed every five years. The U.S. Department of Commerce has already concluded that without the tariffs, Chi- nese producers would dump their products in the United States at a lower cost.
Brown on farm panel
As expected, Brown was named to a conference committee of the Senate and House to reconcile dif- ferences between the five- year farm bills passed this summer by both chambers. Brown is the third-ranking Democrat on the Senate agri- culture committee.
The major difference in the two bills is the House requires able-bodied recipients of Food Stamps to work or enter job-training programs. The Senate version did not include that provision.
Once the conference committee agrees on a final version, the bill will need to be passed again by the House and Senate and signed into law by President Donald Trump.