Lawmakers warn Trump tariffs threaten local newspapers
JULY 17, 2018
WASHINGTON About a dozen members of Congress warned Tuesday that newspapers in their home states are in danger of reducing news coverage, laying off workers, or going out of business if the United States maintains recently imposed tariffs on Canadian newsprint.
The Trump administration ordered the tariffs in response to a complaint from a paper producer in Washington state. It argues that Canadian competitors take advantage of government subsidies to sell their product at unfairly low prices.
About a dozen lawmakers testified against making the tariffs permanent during a US International Trade Commission hearing. The commission is reviewing whether US producers of certain groundwood paper products, including newsprint, have been materially injured because of the imports from Canada. The commissions findings help determine whether the Department of Commerce makes the tariffs permanent.
Newsprint is generally the second-largest expense for local papers. The tariffs have generally increased newsprint prices by 25 to 30 percent.
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