Indiana’s Jackie Walorski is among a handful of congressional Republicans slamming the White House announcement of steel and aluminum tariffs against American allies.The Trump administration granted temporary exemptions to Canada, Mexico and the European Union in March, when it first announced tariffs against China. But the Commerce Department is pulling the plug on those waivers and imposing surcharges on imported metals.
Mexico has already announced retaliatory tariffs against the U-S, while the European Union has said it will follow suit.
Walorski says the first round of tariffs is already causing “serious harm” to American businesses. She predicts the additional tariffs will raise costs for manufacturers, endanger jobs, and hurt farmers likely to be targeted for retaliation, while lacking the justification of
what she says is the real problem of unfair Chinese trade practices.
Governor Holcomb says he’s been monitoring the effects of the tariffs, but isn’t saying whether he expects them to help or hurt the Hoosier economy. He notes Indiana produces more than quarter of American steel, and says it’s important to get the policy right.
Holcomb says he’s been in direct communication with the administration and will seek to ensure fair competition for Hoosier industry