Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground
Steel tariffs imposed suddenly by President Donald Trump will be harmful to local workers, Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, said in a statement, urging Trump to adjust the proposal.
Steel company Steelscape, which has a plant in Cowlitz County, stands to be negatively affected unless the tariff is adjusted, she said.
“I respectfully urge you exclude exporters vital to the economy, particularly key allies such as Australia,” Beutler said. “Steelscape is one of several West Coast steel producers that rely on imports from the Pacific Rim.”
Those imports are necessary because it’s cheaper to bring in steel by ship than to transport it cross-country over the Rockies, she said.
“Steelscape plays an important role in my state as an employer of hundreds of my constituents,” she added.
“I am confident that it is possible to punish the bad actors responsible for flooding U.S. markets with dumped steel without taking action that results in harm to families, schools, and communities.”
