Federal legislation would limit Mexican steel imports

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Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the U.S. Senate would limit the number of Mexican steel imports into the United States.

The Stop Mexico’s Steel Surge Act would reinstate the 25 percent Section 232 tariffs on Mexican steel imports for at least one year. The bill also allows the president to impose quotas or tariff rate quotas on specific goods that have had major surges.

Tariffs could not be lifted until the secretary of commerce and U.S. trade representative certify that Mexico has adopted policies bringing it into compliance with its 2019 agreement with the United State, and they are confident Mexico will maintain these policies.

“When foreign governments cheat on trade, Pennsylvanians lose their jobs,” U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), who co-introduced the bill, said. “It’s past time to make Mexico play by the rules. Just as I pushed the previous administration, I am going to keep pushing the Biden Administration to hold trade cheats accountable and level the playing field for American workers.”

U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) also introduced the bill, and it was cosponsored by U.S. Sens. John Boozman (R-AR), Mike Braun (R-IN), Ted Budd (R-NC), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and J.D. Vance (R-OH).