Letter to the Senate in support of S. 3013, a Bill to Require Congressional Approval for Sec. 232 Tariffs

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE:

On behalf of the undersigned business and agriculture organizations, we are writing to support legislation (S. 3013) by Senator Corker and a bipartisan group of senators to require the President to submit to Congress any proposal to raise tariffs in the interest of national security under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

The U.S. business and agriculture communities are deeply concerned that the President’s unrestricted use of section 232 to impose tariffs may not be in the national interest. It is now also increasingly clear that the way the steel and aluminum tariffs have been used will result in retaliatory tariffs from our largest trading partners and closest allies, and that retaliation will have serious negative economic impacts on the United States. The tariffs are also undermining U.S. efforts to build an international coalition of like-minded countries to join the United States in combating the use of unfair trade and investment policies.

In addition, a new threat to levy a 25% tariff on all imported automobiles and auto parts would inflict enormous harm on the U.S. economy. Approximately $350 billion of imports would be affected, and retaliation on the same order would be expected. The U.S. auto industry — the nation’s largest manufacturing sector — and many downstream industries would be profoundly harmed by this action, as would sectors such as agriculture and chemical manufacturing that would be targeted in retaliation. The economic impact of this action would be approximately 10 times larger than that of the tariffs on imported metals.

As you know, Article I of the Constitution assigns the Congress exclusive authority to regulate foreign trade and levy taxes, including tariffs. The Congress used this power to delegate to the President the authority to impose tariffs, without Congressional oversight, to safeguard national security in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. While the President should still have this type of authority, the current circumstances highlight the need for Congress to ensure that the authority will be used, as intended by the Congress, in the overall national interest.

The legislation offered by Senator Corker and his colleagues is designed to accomplish this limited objective. The President will retain the power to impose tariffs to protect the national security subject only to confirmation by the Congress that the power is being properly used. This change is appropriate and overdue, and we urge you to support it when it is brought forward for a vote in the Senate.

Sincerely,

National Associations 

Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers

American Apparel & Footwear Association

American Association of Exporters and Importers

American Bakers Association

American Chemistry Council

American Feed Industry Association

American Forest & Paper Association

American Gear Manufacturers Association

American International Automobile Dealers Association

American Petroleum Institute

American Trucking Associations

Associated General Contractors of America

Association of American Railroads

Association of Equipment Manufacturers

Association of Global Automakers

Auto Care Association

Business Roundtable

Coalition for GSP

Coalition of American Metal Manufacturers and Users

Computer & Communications Industry Association

Council for Responsible Nutrition

Electronic Transactions Association

Energy Equipment and Infrastructure Alliance

Federation of American Hospitals

Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America

Global Cold Chain Alliance

Household & Commercial Products Association

Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association

International Wood Products Association

Internet Association

Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association

National Association of Chemical Distributors

National Beer Wholesalers Association

National Confectioners Association

National Foreign Trade Council

National Marine Manufacturers Association

National Retail Federation

Organization for International Investment

Personal Care Products Council

Pet Food Institute

Plastics Industry Association

Retail Industry Leaders Association

SEMI Software & Information Industry Association

The Hardwood Federation

The Toy Association

Transportation Intermediaries Association

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

U.S. Fashion Industry Association

U.S. Hide, Skin and Leather Association

Vinyl Institute

WineAmerica

State & Local Groups

Alaska Chamber

Alhambra Chamber of Commerce

Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce

Ames Chamber of Commerce

Archbold Area Chamber of Commerce

Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas

Associated Equipment Distributors

Association of Washington Business

Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce

Baton Rouge Area Chamber

Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce

Billings Chamber of Commerce

Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce

Blackwell Industrial Authority

Boise Metro Chamber

Bolingbrook Area Chamber of Commerce

Border Trade Alliance

Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce

Buckeye Valley Chamber of Commerce

Buffalo Niagara Partnership

Bunn Properties

Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire

Business Council of Alabama

Caldwell Chamber of Commerce

Camarillo Chamber of Commerce

Campbell County Chamber of Commerce

Capital Region Chamber

Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce

Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance

Central Louisiana Regional Chamber of Commerce

Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg

Chamber of Commerce Hawaii

Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama

Chamber Southwest Louisiana

Chamber630

ChamberWest Chamber of Commerce

Chandler Chamber of Commerce

Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry

Colorado Association of Commerce & Industry

Colorado Business Roundtable

Colorado Competitive Council

Colorado Farm Bureau

Columbia Chamber of Commerce

Commerce Lexington Inc.

Connecticut Business & Industry Association

Council of the Great Lakes Region

Davis Chamber of Commerce

Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce

Daytona Regional Chamber

Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce

Detroit Regional Chamber

Dinuba Chamber of Commerce

Economic Alliance Snohomish County

Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce

Fashion Accessories Shippers Association

Fayette Area Chamber of Commerce

Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce

Ferndale Chamber of Commerce

Florida Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc

Gemini Shippers Association

Georgia Chamber of Commerce

Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce

Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce

Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce

Greater Des Moines Partnership

Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce

Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce

Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce

Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce

Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce

Greater Lexinton Chamber of Commerce

Greater Memphis Chamber

Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce

Greater New Orleans, Inc.

Greater North Dakota Chamber

Greater OKC Chamber

Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce

Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce

Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce

Greater Phoenix Chamber

Greater Reading Chamber Alliance

Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce

Greater Spokane Incorporated

Greenville Chamber

Harford County Chamber of Commerce

Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC

Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce

Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce

Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce

Hudson County Chamber of Commerce

Imaging Supplies Coalition (ISC)

Indiana Chamber of Commerce

Indy Chamber

International Association of Drilling Contractors

Iowa Association of Business and Industry

Iowa Chamber Alliance

Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce

Jackson County Chamber of Commerce

Jerome 20/20, Inc.

Johnson City/Jonesborough/Wash. County Chamber of Commerce

Kalispell Chamber of Commerce

Kansas Chamber Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce

Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Kingsport Chamber of Commerce

La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce

La Pine Chamber Of Commerce

Lancaster Chamber

Laredo Chamber of Commerce

Lewis Clark Valley Chamber of Commerce

Lincoln Chamber of Commerce

Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce

Longview Chamber of Commerce

Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce

Lubbock Chamber of Commerce

Maine State Chamber of Commerce

Marana Chamber of Commerce

Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce

Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce

Maryland Chamber of Commerce

Massachusetts Package Stores Assocation

McAllen Chamber of Commerce

Meade County Chamber of Commerce

Metro Atlanta Chamber

Metro South Chamber of Commerce

Michigan City Chamber of Commerce

Minneapolis Regional Chamber

Mississippi Economic Council - The State Chamber of Commerce

Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce

Monroe Chamber of Commerce

Montana Chamber of Commerce

Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce

Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce

Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce

National Tooling and Machining Association

New Orleans Chamber of Commerce

North Carolina Chamber

North Country Chamber of Commerce

North Orange County Chamber of Commerce

North San Antonio Chamber

North San Diego Business Chamber

North Texas Commission

North Texas GLBT Chamber of Commerce

Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

Ohio Chamber of Commerce

Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce

Overland Park Chamber of Commerce

Oxnard Chamber of Commerce

Pasadena Chamber of Commerce

Pasco Chamber of Commerce

Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry

Perry County Chamber of Commerce, LLC

Plano Chamber of Commerce

Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce

Precision Machined Products Association

Precision Metalforming Association

Regional Chamber of Commerce San Gabriel Valley

Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce

Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce

Rolling Meadows Chamber

Salt Lake Chamber

San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce

San Francisco Chamber of Commerce

San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership

Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce

Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Comerce

Selma and Dallas County Chamber of Commerce

Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce

Silicon Valley Leadership Group

Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce

South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce

South Bend Regional Chamber

South County Chamber of Commerce

Southwest California Legislative Council

Specialty Equipment Market Association

Spencer County Regional Chamber of Commerce

St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce

Stanly County Chamber of Commerce

State Chamber of Oklahoma

Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce

Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber

Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry

The African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, INC

The Business Council of New York State

The Chamber Grand Forks East Grand Forks

The Chamber of Lawrence Kansas

The Chamber of Medford/Jackson County

The Chamber of the Santa Barbara Region

The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce

The Home Furnishings Association

The San Antonio Chamber of Commerce

The Silicon Valley Organization

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce

Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce

Travel Goods Association

Traverse City (MI) Area Chamber of Commerce

Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association

Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Tucson Metro Chamber

Tulsa Regional Chamber

TwinWest Chamber of Commerce

Union County, KY Chamber of Commerce

United Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce

United States Council for International Business

Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce

Virginia Chamber of Commerce

Wake Forest Chamber of Commerce

Washington Retail Association

West Virginia Chamber of Commerce

Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce

White Pine Chamber of Commerce

Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce

Yankton Area Chamber of Commerce

York County Economic Alliance

Yuma County Chamber of Commerce