Contact: Jess Kamm Broomell, 412-562-2444, jkamm@usw.org
(PITTSBURGH) – United Steelworkers (USW) International President David McCall released the following statement today in response to the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party’s comprehensive economic report and its more than 100 policy recommendations:
“The USW welcomes today’s report and the Select Committee’s efforts to find bipartisan solutions to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ongoing economic aggression.
“USW members can compete against anyone on a level playing field, but too often they instead face the CCP’s illegal trade practices. Our union applauds the committee’s work to safeguard domestic industries, and in particular its acknowledgment that Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China negatively impacts American workers.
“The USW further welcomes the committee’s clear prioritization of common-sense enforcement tools like the Leveling the Playing Field Act 2.0, as well as reforms to the Generalized System of Preferences and renewal for Section 421 of our nation’s trade code.
“As workers grapple with the consequences of unfair trade, Congress must restore their access to Trade Adjustment Assistance so they can gain new skills and quickly reenter the workforce. More than 84,000 workers are waiting for their TAA petitions to be heard since the program lapsed in 2022, and we also welcome its inclusion in this report.
“As the committee continues to confront the CCP, the USW urges caution on a number of fronts, including any potential amendments to Section 232 tariffs, which serve as a vital part of protecting our domestic industries.
“While it’s not possible for the USW to endorse all of the 150 policy recommendations in the report, our union thanks the committee for its work to hold the CCP accountable and protect American workers. We look forward to working with Congress to make many of these recommendations reality.”
The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in health care, metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.