WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Trade Subcommittee Chairman Dave Reichert (R-WA) today released the following statements regarding the International Trade Commission’s (ITC) report on the competitive conditions affecting the U.S. aluminum industry.

Chairman Brady remarked:

“In 2016, I requested that the ITC examine whether China’s subsidies and other distortive policies have led to significant overcapacity that hurts American aluminum producers and their employees. I asked the Commission to specifically investigate the impact of other factors affecting the competitiveness of the U.S. industry, including electricity prices and the strength of the U.S. dollar.

“The ITC has now delivered a detailed and sophisticated analysis of the competitive conditions aluminum producers across our country face. I appreciate the thorough and objective report by the Commission and its staff on an issue that affects so many American workers. The ITC’s report will be tremendously valuable as lawmakers, industry participants, and Trump Administration officials work together to find targeted, effective, and appropriate solutions to the problem of Chinese overcapacity and other distortions in global aluminum markets.  

“As we move forward together to address these challenges, we must build on the success U.S. companies are having in certain sectors of the aluminum industry throughout the supply chain and also address distortions that hurt our producers in other sectors of that industry. Working together, we can deliver an effective policy solution that will make our country and our workers more competitive in the global market.”

Subcommittee Chairman Reichert said:

“After the idling and closings of aluminum plants across the country, including in Wenatchee in my district, it was important to take a deeper look at the causes behind the disruptions in the aluminum industry. Maintaining our competitiveness in the global market is critical to the many good-paying American jobs that depend on the strength of the industry. 

“Thank you to the Commission and its staff for this thorough report on a complex issue. It will serve as an important roadmap as Congress, stakeholders, and the Administration consider how best to address issues of global overcapacity in the aluminum industry and support American workers in all parts of the supply chain. With a collaborative and thoughtful solution, we can ensure our workers and producers compete and win on the world stage.”

Background:

The ITC’s comprehensive investigation over the last 16 months included collecting questionnaire responses from industry participants throughout the supply chain, conducting a public hearing, interviewing key industry experts in the United States and key foreign markets, and customizing a sophisticated analytical model to estimate the impact of certain distortive policies across the entire supply chain.