September 27, 2012

Senate and House members call on Commerce Department to stop Chinese solar companies from dodging U.S. trade laws

Washington, D.C. – Eight members of U.S. Congress, led by Sen. Ron Wyden, (D-Ore.) asked the Commerce Department to close a loophole in its preliminary decision to crack down on illegal trade practices by Chinese solar panel manufacturers, in a letter sent Thursday.

House Ways and Means Committee Ranking member Sandy Levin (D-Mich.), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), and Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) joined Wyden in urging Commerce to close the loophole.

The letter is available here.

Commerce is expected to issue its final decision in the case on October 10.

On Sept. 21, Wyden and Merkley introduced two bills to protect U.S. tax dollars from supporting illegally traded Chinese solar panels and other goods. 

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