Alliance for American Manufacturing president Scott Paul sent a letter to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan urging him to resist calls to defer or avoid duty payments on imports from China.
AAM argues that the importers seeking tariff relief are trying to capitalize on the public health crisis to benefit their bottom line by undercutting domestic manufacturers and American factory workers with.
“This couldn’t occur at a worse time for American manufacturing and its workers who are struggling to survive in this sharp economic downturn," Paul writes. "Allowing imports to come in without the present payment of duties gives them a price advantage. Ninety days may very well signal the demise of a company struggling to compete, even if those tariffs are paid at a later date. It’s equivalent to a government sanctioned fire sale for imports to undermine American producers and their workers.”
The AAM president also notes that the U.S. Trade Representative has a process in place to deal with emergency requests that have direct bearing on the nation’s ability to respond to the coronavirus. Paul cites concerns that tariff relief would allow importers to game the system.
