Wyden Warns of China's Destructive Impact on U.S. Aluminum Sector

Wyden Submits Testimony to International Trade Commission; Calls for Aggressive Enforcement of U.S. Trade Rules

WASHINGTON – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., warned of the damage to U.S. workers in the aluminum sector caused by China’s trade-distorting industrial policies, in testimony he submitted to a U.S. International Trade Commission hearing today. The ITC held the hearing to evaluate competitive conditions affecting the U.S. aluminum industry, following massive closures affecting primary aluminum facilities in several states and ongoing challenges related to unfairly traded aluminum imports.

“Chinese subsidies and industrial policies distort global markets and destroy jobs here in the United States,” Wyden said, in a written statement for the record. “China’s policies are impacting the primary aluminum market and creating significant damage to U.S. workers and companies. It is critical that our trade enforcers use every tool to tackle these serious challenges for workers and companies in all sectors of the industry – including the ENFORCE Act, the Leveling the Playing Field Act provisions, and the other measures my colleagues and I on the Finance Committee fought to get signed into law over the last year.”

Background: Today’s hearing is being conducted as part of an investigation launched by the U.S. International Trade Commission in April 2016 to evaluate competitive conditions affecting the U.S. aluminum industry. The ITC is expected to complete its investigation by June 24, 2017. The investigation is being conducted pursuant to Section 332 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which authorizes the ITC to conduct general fact-finding investigations on matters related to tariffs or trade at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance.

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