Sen. Sherrod Brown Joins Bipartisan Group to Push for Increased Tariffs in Chinese Solar Products
Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is pushing the Biden Administration to increase tariffs on Chinese solar imports threatening American solar manufacturing jobs, including in Ohio at companies like First Solar in Toledo. Sens. Brown, Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) urged President Biden to increase tariffs on Chinese-made solar module, cell, and wafer imports under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
“China’s aggressive subsidies for its own solar manufacturing industry demonstrate its intent to control the industry globally,” the Senators wrote. “By 2026, China will have enough capacity to meet annual global demand for the next ten years. This capacity is an existential threat to the U.S. solar industry and American energy security.”
“These heavily subsidized and artificially low prices put U.S. solar manufacturers at an extreme disadvantage during a critical turning point in the development of the domestic solar manufacturing industry,” they continued. “Section 301 tariffs are needed to avoid dire consequences not only for our economic and national security, but also for the thousands of workers employed by these manufacturers.”
Brown has long been a leader in fighting for domestic solar manufacturers, including First Solar, which employs more than 2,000 workers in Northwest Ohio. A 2022 report from the United States Trade Representative on China’s compliance with the World Trade Organization underscored that the underlying economic reasons and market conditions for why the tariffs were imposed have not changed.