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PMI Executive Testifies on Section 301 Tariffs

[ August 28, 2018   //   ]

Plumbing Manufacturers International CEO/Executive Director Kerry Stackpole testified before the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on August 23 on the unfavorable and consequential impacts that Section 301 tariffs of up to 25% on $200 billion worth of products imported from China are expected to have on U.S. plumbing manufacturers, the economy, and consumers.
Dozens of plumbing-related products and components are included on this most recent list (known as List 3). The $200 billion list also targets furniture, cabinets, lighting products, chemicals, plastics, seafood, and variety of metal components and machinery. If the tariffs are implemented, PMI expects them to result in significant supply chain disruptions and increased costs that would have a detrimental impact on American plumbing manufacturers and their workers, on the construction sector, and on retailers and consumers, Stackpole testified.
While PMI supports Trump Administration actions to hold China accountable for their intellectual property violations, Stackpole said imposing tariffs on a broad range of products coming from China, most of which have no connection to the identified violations, would simply mean higher prices for consumers. PMI opposes the imposition of new tariffs at either 10 or 25%.
Furthermore, the number of objections to the proposed duties speaks volumes about the damage that additional tariffs would do. The hearing, which started on Aug. 20 and is scheduled to run through Aug. 24 and on Aug. 27, includes more than 350 witnesses from a broad cross-section of U.S. businesses. More than 1,500 comments have already been submitted to the docket. Formal written comments on the third list of tariffs are due Sept. 5.