In what some consider a perfunctory hearing, the International Trade Commission yesterday held its session to consider final pleas from opponents and advocates of new countervailing and antidumping duties on imported China-produced consumer tires.
With the final testimony of numerous parties now in hand, including that of several members of Congress and the USW as well as from representatives of impacted importers, the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration is slated to render its final judgment on imposition of the duties on June 12. If the ITA affirms the DOC’s original findings, the new duty schedules would take immediate effect.
Missing from the roster of speakers at yesterday’s session were any representatives of U.S.-based tire companies, which have been entirely and directly silent on the entire issue. Others spoke in support – including the USW members on hand –claiming the domestic companies and marketers were financially hurt by increased imports of lower-price China-made passenger and light truck/SUV tires.
Others pointed to multiple years of high net profits posted by the same tire firms as evidence that they had not been so negatively impacted.
The ITC posted some of the testimony and exhibits presented at yesterday’s hearing. Simply click on the name to download a PDF copy of the materials:
Sen. Jeff Sessions – Alabama
Sen. Tim Kaine – Virginia
Rep. David Price – N.C. District 4
Stewart and Stewart Exhibits
Stan Johnson – USW
Mark Williams – USW
Steve Jones – USW
David Hayes – USW
Rodney Nelson – USW
Capital Trade Exhibits
Capital Trade Economic Impact
ITG Voma Corp. Testimony
Craig Lewis – Hogan Lovells
Jonathan Stoel – Hogan Lovells
