Washington, D.C. – Today, House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Subcommittee on Trade Chairman Dave Reichert (R-WA) released the following statements regarding the United States Trade Representative’s release of a preliminary list of products to be covered by import tariffs to address Chinese intellectual property theft and forced technology transfers:

“China’s dishonest trade practices are hurting the American economy and costing thousands of jobs here at home. To address this challenge, I have urged the President to consult closely with U.S. job-creators to ensure we take an approach that punishes China, and not American workers. Publishing this preliminary list is an important step that will allow U.S. companies to evaluate the implications and convey their views about the effect of such tariffs on our economy. I’m confident that we can protect national security and minimize unfair trading practices while protecting American consumers and jobs,” said Chairman Brady. 

“We must address China’s theft of technology and intellectual property belonging to American companies. It is a serious problem that requires action. At the same time, any actions we take should address the problem and also protect the 40% of jobs in my home state that are tied to trade. As we have already seen, the threat of retaliation is real and the devastating consequences for Washington’s farmers, workers, and businesses must be avoided at all costs. With the Administration’s release of this list, the American public has the opportunity to provide input into the process and describe what tariffs on these goods would mean for them. I look forward to working with the Administration throughout this process because getting this right is essential for Washington’s trade-dependent economy,” added Chairman Reichert.