Rep. Sewell introduces the Leveling the Playing Field Act 2.0

U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell, AL-07, and Beth Van Duyne, TX-24, were joined by Senators Todd Young, R-IN, and Tina Smith, D-MN, to introduce bipartisan legislation to level the playing field for American workers. The Leveling the Playing Field Act 2.0 updates U.S. trade remedy law to combat China’s anti-free market trade practices.

“The Leveling the Playing Field Act 2.0 takes important steps to strengthen U.S. trade remedy laws and push back against China’s egregious efforts to manipulate the global market,” said Rep. Sewell. “It will promote fair competition and protect American workers in the process. After all, we know that if American workers are given the opportunity to compete on a fair and level playing field, they will win on the world stage!”

“The Chinese Communist Party routinely ignores established trading rules and aggressively works to cheat the system and shut American workers and manufacturers out of the global market,” said Rep. Van Duyne. “Our legislation will allow American workers to compete on a more level playing field by cracking down on exploitative trade practices from countries like China that put American manufacturers at a disadvantage. The Leveling the Playing Field Act 2.0 will help build a stronger, more resilient, and more self-sufficient America, one that allows for the expansion of our middle class and the strengthening of our skilled trades. I thank my colleagues for joining me in introducing this important legislation.”

“Our bill will protect American jobs and combat China’s unfair trade practices,” said Sen. Young. “China has distorted the free market by dumping undervalued products and subsidizing industries, actions designed to harm American businesses and workers. This legislation will help level the playing field to ensure the United States can outcompete the Chinese Communist Party.”

“For too long, foreign competitors like China have engaged in unfair trade practices that have undermined domestic industry and threatened our national security,” said Sen. Smith. “This legislation provides more tools for the U.S. to stop illegal dumping and subsidies that have made it impossible for domestic producers and workers to compete. I’m glad to introduce the Leveling the Playing Field Act 2.0 with Senator Young to protect American workers like Minnesota’s Iron Rangers.”

The Leveling the Playing Field Act 2.0 combats many of China’s most “egregious practices,” such as:

• Country Hopping to Escape U.S. Trade Remedies – After all the work of winning an anti-dumping and countervailing duty case, relief can be temporary as foreign producers move their factories to other countries to evade the AD/CVD orders. This legislation creates a new successive AD/CVD investigation to combat repeat offenders by making it easier for petitioners to bring new cases when production moves to another country. It also expedites timelines for successive investigations and factors for the International Trade Commission to consider about the relationship between recently completed trade cases and successive trade cases for the same imported product.
• Belt and Road Initiative Subsidies – Currently, the Department of Commerce can only consider subsidies provided by the government under investigation. However, with the expansion of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, China is beginning to subsidize production in countries outside of China. This legislation would give Commerce the authority to apply CVD law to subsidies provided by a government to a company operating in a different country.
• Circumventing U.S. Law – This legislation imposes statutory requirements for anti-circumvention inquiries to clarify the process and timeline. It also specifies the deadlines for preliminary and final determinations, which currently lack statutory deadlines.

The Leveling the Playing Field Act 2.0 was co-sponsored by Rep. Miller, R-WV-01, Chairman Moolenaar, R-MI-02, Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi, D-IL-08, Chairman Bost, R-IL-12, Chairman Crawford, R-AR-01, Chairman Rogers, R-AL-03, Rep. Balderson, R-OH-12, Rep. Bergman, R-MI-01, Rep. Carson, D-IN-07, Rep. Ciscomani, R-AZ-06, Rep. De La Cruz, R-TX-15, Rep. Deluzio, R-PA-17, Rep. Dingell, D-MI-06, Rep. Edwards, R-NC-11, Rep. Finstad, R-MN-01, Rep. Hinson, R-IA-02, Rep. Houlahan, D-PA-06, Rep. Johnson, D-GA-04, Rep. Kelly, D-IL-02, Rep. Khanna, D-CA-17, Rep. McGarvey, D-KY-03, Rep. Moore, R-NC-14, Rep. Mrvan, D-IN-01, Rep. Nehls, R-TX-22, Rep. Rulli, R-OH-06, Rep. Scholten, D-MI-03, Rep. Sykes, D-OH-13, Rep. Titus, D-NV-01, and Rep. Veasey, D-TX-33.

The bill is also supported by the American Iron and Steel Institute, Steel Manufacturers Association, Committee to Support U.S. Trade Laws, American Wire Producers Association, Cold Finished Steel Bar Institute, Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association, Specialty Steel Industry of North America, Steel Manufacturers Association, the Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports, and the U.S. OCTG Manufacturers Association.

“The American steel industry has faced repeated surges of unfairly traded steel imports from many countries and regions,” said Kevin Dempsey, President and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute. “U.S. trade remedy laws are the only means by which the American steel industry can mitigate the harm from these unfairly traded imports and help prevent plants from being idled and workers from losing their jobs. By strengthening the effectiveness of our trade laws, this bill will help give the American public confidence that our government has every tool available to fight for a level playing field for the American steel industry and our workers. We appreciate the tremendous leadership of Reps. Van Duyne and Sewell in support of American steel industry.”

“The Steel Manufacturers Association thanks Congresswoman Van Duyne and Congresswoman Sewell for their introduction of the Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act,” said Philip K. Bell, President, Steel Manufacturers Association. “China is actively working to depresses or eliminate domestic manufacturing in the U.S. The antidumping and countervailing duty laws are the first line of defense for domestic industries fighting against unfair trade. However, after more than 30 years without major revisions, they are in dire need of updating. American workers and industry have borne the brunt of these shortcomings in U.S. trade law enforcement. The Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act does just that, it provides our government new tools to fight against unfair trade and levels the playing field for American workers and industry. We look forward to working with Congresswoman Van Duyne and Congresswoman Sewell to support this vital legislation and American jobs.”

“On behalf of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association and the companies and workers making kitchen cabinets in Texas and across the country, we would like to thank Rep. Van Duyne and her colleague Rep. Sewell and other original cosponsors for introducing the ‘Leveling the Playing Field Act 2.0’ – legislation that will not only strengthen the U.S. unfair trade laws, but provide a much needed level playing field for our industry to compete in,” said Betsy Natz, CEO of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association.“Our industry knows first hand about the impact of unfairly traded imports and why it is important to have strong trade laws in place to combat unfair trade practices. That is why today we stand in support of this legislation and pledge to work with members in the House to advance this bill in the 119th Congress.”

Bill text is available here.