U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) recently sent a letter to United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer calling for tariff reductions between the United States and China.
Lighthizer is expected to finalize a “phase one” agreement with China soon related to the tariffs that the United States imposed on goods and materials imported from China and the retaliatory tariffs that China imposed on American-made products. The details and the degree to which the two countries will reduce the tariffs are not yet known.
“As you know, the trade war with Beijing has come at the expense of significant harm to a number of my constituents, both as a result of U.S. tariffs on China and China’s retaliatory tariffs on Pennsylvania products,” Toomey wrote in his letter to Lighthizer. “That is why I was pleased to hear reports that the Phase One deal will include a critically important commitment from the U.S. to cut tariffs on many goods. As you finalize the agreement, I ask you to ensure the deal covers both section 301 and retaliatory tariff relief for Pennsylvania importers and exporters.”
Companies across Pennsylvania are seeking relief from the tariffs. Toomey noted that he has petitioned the office of the USTR over the past 18 months to provide relief to numerous Pennsylvania companies that have been harmed by the tariffs.