AJOT reported that Members of Congress Rep Denver Riggleman (R-VA), Benjamin Cline (R-VA), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Dan Bishop (R-NC) have urged Commerce Secretary Mr Wilbur Ross to refrain from imposing Section 232 tariffs on imports of electrical transformers and their components, including grain-oriented electrical steel.

Hey wrote “We represent millions of Americans who stand to be negatively affected by the Section 232 investigation into imports of transformers, cores and laminations should this investigation result in tariffs or other restrictions on imports of transformers and their component. The prosperity of this country depends on the reliable supply of low-cost electricity to business and consumers throughout the United States. The outcome of this investigation threatens to undermine that supply.

The letter provides a list of negative consequences of import restrictions and said “Against the clear risk to national economic health (and our national defense), there is no justifications for the imposition of tariffs or other trade restrictions, especially on two of our closest allies and partners in the world. Section 232 import restrictions would not remedy the operations of the sole current manufacturer of grain oriented electrical steel in the United States and will certainly worsen the problems of downstream US industries that will be affected.”