Congress PASSES tariffs and duties law on Chinese imports, it sits on Obama's desk now!

[Zalatix]

Un fucking believable. Congress finally did it. They finally gave China the middle finger.

The fight is on. The revolution against the war on America's working class has finally been joined by Congress. Will it be joined by Obama, too?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/06/us-usa-china-trade-idUSTRE8251FA20120306

Bill targeting Chinese subsidies goes to Obama

By Doug Palmer
WASHINGTON | Tue Mar 6, 2012 6:25pm EST
(Reuters) - The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 370-39 to ensure the United States can impose duties on subsidized goods from China and Vietnam, a move the White House said was needed to protect American jobs.

The bill, which overturns a recent court ruling, now goes to President Barack Obama to sign it into law. The Senate passed the legislation on Monday, in a rare display of bipartisan cooperation, just days after it was introduced.

"China distorts the free market by giving enormous subsidies to its producers and exporters, and our companies and workers should not be expected to compete against the deep pockets of the Chinese government," House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, a Michigan Republican, said during debate.

Vice President Joe Biden praised Congress for taking "a clear stand against the unfair trade practices that have put countless American jobs in jeopardy."

The Obama administration helped craft the bipartisan bill after an appeals court ruled in December the U.S. Commerce Department did not have authority to impose countervailing - or anti-subsidy - duties on goods from "non-market economies".

The decision endangered countervailing duties on about two dozen goods from China and Vietnam worth more than $4 billion in trade, as well as potential new duties in cases involving solar panels and wind turbine towers from China.

U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson said current duties protect tens of thousands of jobs at more than 80 companies in 38 states. They cover steel, aluminum, paper, chemicals and other goods from China and plastic shopping bags from Vietnam.

[Ziggystrange]

1. This one is a big deal

Congratulations to President Obama, and all of us.

[Zalatix]

3. I haven't heard news that Obama has signed it yet. My fingers are crossed.

[pampango]

8. The administration sent the bill to congress so I'm sure Obama will sign it.

"The Obama administration helped craft the bipartisan bill after an appeals court ruled in December the U.S. Commerce Department did not have authority to impose countervailing - or anti-subsidy - duties on goods from "non-market economies"."

"Vice President Joe Biden praised Congress for taking "a clear stand against the unfair trade practices that have put countless American jobs in jeopardy." - I doubt if Biden would have publicly praised congress for passing the bill, if Obama planned on vetoing it.

"The decision endangered countervailing duties on about two dozen goods from China and Vietnam worth more than $4 billion in trade, as well as potential new duties in cases involving solar panels and wind turbine towers from China."

&quot T)he U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled the Bush administration should have obtained legislation from Congress to make the policy change because the previous practice of not applying countervailing duties to non-market economies had become embedded in U.S. law.

The bill addresses the double counting issue to make sure U.S. countervailing duties against non-market economies do not violate WTO rules, lawmakers said."

This new law reinstates existing countervailing and antidumping duties and tariffs giving the administration the legal authority to do what it was already doing before the December court decision. It's what Obama wanted so I'm sure he will sign it.

[demosincebirth]

2. This is long overdue. nt

[Populist_Prole]

4. I thought this was an april fools thing a few weeks early: Too good to be true

Great news nonetheless though.

Waiting for the wiling and gnashing teeth for US companies with ops there.

[GReedDiamond]

5. I'm stunned...I'm speechless...except for, I gotta say...

...at long last, a sane piece of legislation spews forth from the Boehner House, and it glides through the Senate!

Plus: "The Obama administration helped craft the bipartisan bill..," which makes the overwhelming "yea" House vote on this even all the more remarkable!

WTF is going on lately?

Has somebody switched off the GWB (GWBush Global Wacko Beam)?

Also, from the Reuters article linked to in the OP:

The conservative group Club for Growth, which is influential with the Tea Party movement, lobbied against the bill, which it said would increase the price of imported goods.

On Tuesday, it blasted the measure as a "tax increase" after the Congressional Budget Office estimated it would raise $160 million in new revenue over 10 years.

1) More idiocy from the baggers.

2) it would raise $160 million in new revenue over 10 years. - I'm assuming this should read "$160 BILLION in new revenue over 10 years." 16 million a year over ten years to get to 160 million is, essentially, nothing, in the big picture, if that is all that this legislation does.

[Zalatix]

6. Even the Teabaggers, at large, oppose globalism.

[unionworks]

7. About Freakin' Time

If they had started passing bills like this during Raygun, we'd be living in a golden age by now

[leveymg]

9. This is a nice election year gesture, but it covers only about 1 percent of US imports from China

China | Office of the United States Trade Representative
http://www.ustr.gov/countries-regions/china Cached - Similar

Exports totaled $85 billion; Imports totaled $305 billion. The U.S. goods and services trade deficit with China was $219 billion in 2009.

[Zalatix]

10. Baby steps first.

[leveymg]

12. That's fine. But, some people mistook it for a Big Deal. Proportionate claims. Important.

Don't overstate your case, or even imply things that can be mistaken for Big Deals, if they are just baby deals.

[Zalatix]

13. The key is to awaken America. Most of America is enraged at offshoring of jobs.

We need a spark to light off the revolution. This could be it, or maybe another issue. But a major electoral revolution is coming. Soon.

[leveymg]

18. I don't think that revolutions get sparked in Senate Committees very often. That's usually where

the popular will goes to die. Look at HCR. So long as there is a Senate and a pro-establishment President, nothing much of any real consequence will get between the multinational corporations and their ability to move jobs and money around the world as they see fit.

[bvar22]

11. Ultimately, everything Manufactured or Produced in China or anywhere in the 3rd World is subsidized.

The lack of Worker's Rights, Human Rights, and Environmental Protections IS a huge Government Subsidy.

There is NO such thing as Free Trade, Free Markets, or an Invisible Hand.




You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
[font size=5 color=green]Solidarity99![/font][font size=2 color=green]
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[shanti]

14. obama made this an issue in 2008

it's time for him to make good on his promise.

[TeamsterDem]

15. Wow that is a big deal. Hope he signs it!!! nt

[Bonobo]

16. Unable to make up their own minds about what is right or wrong,

I predict certain "Obama can do no wrong" people will wait until the correct talking points are published before coming down on one side of the issue or the other.

It is a side effect of having no compass of one's own.

[Selatius]

17. I don't see how this is a big deal.

It's an important first step, and I give credit where credit is due, but relatively speaking, they already manufacture a majority of the products Americans use. This is a Johnny-come-lately gesture at best. These tariffs only affect a small portion of the total that the US imports from China.

If the Congress and White House were actually consistent on pushing fair trade practices instead of free trade, our nation wouldn't be in a situation where it can't even produce consumer electronics without relying on countries like China.

[ProSense]

19. FYI

On Tuesday, March 13, 2012, the President signed into law:

H.R. 4105, which clarifies that the countervailing duty law can be applied to subsidized goods from nonmarket economy countries; and the Department of Commerce can adjust antidumping duties applied to goods from nonmarket economy countries when countervailing duties are applied to the same goods.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/03/13/statement-press-secretary-hr-4105

More on trade here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002419556

[Zalatix]

20. Hoorah! Take THAT, globalists!

[hmmy786]

21. Spam deleted by OKNancy (MIR Team)