Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), alongside several other Senate Democrats, wrote to President Biden and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai urging the Administration to keep or increase tariffs on Chinese goods which are currently under review.

The Senators include Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) who are all in swing state re-election races. The Senators specifically mention their continued support for tariffs on Chinese steel:

“Maintaining the scope and impact of these tariffs benefits American workers, manufacturers, and their communities, and holds China accountable for the country's continued anti-competitive practices. We welcome your diligence to protect American steel from China’s cheating and urge you to apply the same diligence to all 301 tariffs.”

The Senators also single out intellectual property, solar panels, and electric vehicles (EVs) as areas of their concern.

With an eye to the November elections, the Administration is expected to conclude its tariff investigation this month before many of the tariffs would otherwise expire. President Biden has called for potentially doubling or tripling tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum, but many do not believe the White House is willing to go that far. A Trump White House is widely expected to rely on tariffs as a trade tool; the tariffs the Biden Administration is expected to continue were originally fashioned under the Trump Administration.

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