Senators urge Obama to approve tariffs on Chinese tyres

ERJ staff report (TB)

Washington DC -- A bipartisan group of 11 senators has written to President Obama, urging him to approve the tariffs the US International Trade Commission has recommended on passenger and light truck tyres imported from China.

“An important American industry…is on its knees due to the market disruption caused by imports of Chinese tyres,” the senators said in a July 16 letter. Only the three-year duties on Chinese tyres recommended by the ITC-55 percent the first year, 45 percent the second and 35 percent the third-can prevent further harm to the US tyre industry, they said.

Five of the senators who signed the letter-Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Robert Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) and Evan Bayh (D-Ind.)-also testified before the ITC June 2 on behalf of the United Steelworkers union and its petition for relief against Chinese tyre imports. Other signatories included Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Kay Hagan (D-N.C.).

From Tire Business (A Crain publication)