Posted April 2, 2020

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) wrote to the Trump Administration asking that it drop reported plans to defer duties on products unrelated to critical medical supplies that are subject to the Most-Favored Nation (MFN) tariff rate.

 

Deferring duties on textile, fabric and apparel items, in particular, will undermine American manufacturers’ efforts to produce the personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies frontline healthcare workers desperately need. 

 

Brown said he supports efforts to lower tariffs in order to secure medical devices and necessary medical equipment and supplies but urged the Administration not to reduce tariffs on other products that make it harder for U.S. manufacturers to produce PPE and other supplies needed by frontline healthcare workers.

 

“Producing and procuring PPE and medical supplies must be a top priority across the entire federal government, and I support your efforts to lower tariffs on medical devices and equipment and other necessary supplies,” wrote Brown. “But I urge you not to reduce any tariffs on unrelated items that would inhibit efforts to establish a PPE and medical supply chain in the U.S.  Now is not the time to undermine American manufacturers and their workers, particularly those who are stepping up to help during the public health emergency.”

 

Brown has led efforts to address the shortage of PPE and medical supplies and help U.S. manufacturers produce these critical supplies for frontline healthcare workers.

 

Brown has released a plan for addressing the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) needed by healthcare workers on the frontline of keeping Americans healthy and safe during the coronavirus pandemic and has written to President Trump outlining several steps the Administration should take immediately to address the shortage and ramp up manufacturing of these critical medical supplies.

 

Brown also wrote to President Trump calling on the Administration to immediately implement all Defense Production Act powers under Titles I, III, and VII as necessary to massively scale up production of testing kits, Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) such as respirators and gloves, ventilators, and other critical materials that our country needs during the coronavirus emergency.

 

A copy of Brown’s letter can be found HERE.

 

Source: Office of Sen. Sherrod Brown