Senators Urge Biden Admin to Address 'Surge' of Mexican Steel Imports

A bipartisan group of senators signed a Feb. 14 letter urging the Biden administration to take action against a surge of Mexican steel imports. The letter said tariffs can be reintroduced under a 2019 agreement that removed Section 232 duties on Mexican steel imports but allows them to be reintroduced if Mexican steel imports "exceed historic volumes of trade" and "surge meaningfully" into the market. The lawmakers said iron and steel imports increased about 73% over the agreed baseline from 2015 to 2017, which they believe requires action from the administration under the agreement.

"We urge the Biden administration to immediately begin consultations under the 2019 agreement to address this surge of Mexican steel and return imports to 'historic volumes of trade,' with quotas, if necessary," said the letter, addressed to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai. "However, if the Mexican government refuses to remedy this breach, we regretfully urge the administration to consider other mechanisms to ensure compliance and protect American jobs, including the reapplication of Section 232 tariffs."

The letter was signed by Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; Tom Cotton, R-Ark.; John Boozman, R-Ark.; Bob Casey, D-Pa.; Thom Tillis, R-N.C.; Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.; Ted Budd, R-N.C.; Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; Katie Britt, R-Ala.; Tina Smith, D-Minn.; Rick Scott, R-Fla.; Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.; and J.D. Vance, R-Ohio.

Spokespersons for Commerce and USTR didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.