Now that the Supreme Court ruled against using International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs, President Donald Trump is looking for other tools to protect American workers and businesses.
Republicans want to promote trade, increase the number of good-paying jobs, and make sure that we continue to produce things in the United States without outsourcing every essential product to China. My legislation, the Foreign Pollution Fee, can help get this done.
Some countries, particularly China, ignore internationally accepted environmental standards and do not enforce environmental regulations. Lowering costs in this manner puts the U.S. in the position of effectively subsidizing China’s government. U.S. companies are forced to move their factories — and American jobs — to China. That tilts the playing field against U.S. workers.
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The revenue China gains from bringing that manufacturing over doesn’t just grow their economy; it helps fund their military expansion. Not to mention, the pollution that China generates then travels through the water and into the air — into our country. We lose the jobs, we get the pollution. In addition to industrial impacts, the foreign particulate matter is linked to 8,000 premature deaths and over $60 billion in annual health care costs in the U.S. The Foreign Pollution Fee goes after all these issues.
Evidence of American companies moving to China and elsewhere is widespread. As an example, the last alumina refinery in the U.S. is in Grammercy, Louisiana. If it closes, the Department of War would lose its sole domestic source of alumina, leaving U.S. smelters entirely dependent on imported material. The national security implications of this are serious.
Rare earth minerals processing is done overseas and not here, exposing us to the risk of having supplies cut off, as China has already done so, costing Americans their jobs. Steelworkers are losing ground. Cement plants that build our roads and bridges are being undercut. As mentioned, there is only one alumina refinery left to supply our defense industrial base. American workers are being forced to compete against imports made in dirtier, less accountable systems that slash costs by evading standards Americans must meet.
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A country that cannot produce its own essential materials is a country that can be pressured, manipulated, or cut off. That’s why I am offering another tool to support Trump’s ongoing efforts — a tool that is common-sense, America First, and built to last.
The Foreign Pollution Fee makes sure American producers are not punished for producing more responsibly than their foreign competitors. It’s simple: If foreign producers make goods using dirtier processes than American manufacturers, they pay a fee when those products enter our market. It rewards American leadership in quality manufacturing. It creates an incentive for foreign producers to raise their standards instead of racing to the bottom. It increases the number of good-paying, permanent jobs in the U.S.
We know that when America leads, our allies benefit. My Foreign Pollution Fee gives the U.S. Trade Representative the tools to negotiate fair, reciprocal trade agreements with countries that share our values and our national interests. Working together, we can stand with our allies to push back against the predatory practices of the Chinese Communist Party and others.
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American manufacturers produce quality goods without sacrificing the environment in which we live. Our companies should not lose business — and the U.S. should not lose jobs — simply because they protect the air we breathe.
The Foreign Pollution Fee puts American workers first and brings us a step closer to Trump’s goal of rebuilding America’s Golden Age. Let’s get it done.
