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
Associated Equipment Distributors
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 Association of Drilling Contractors
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
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
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
