Hawley announces bill to end normal trade relations with China

WASHINGTON — Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced the first piece of legislation in his new Worker’s Agenda to Rebuild America. The Ending Normal Trade Relations with China Act would revoke China’s normal trade relations status to reduce our dependency and protect America’s working class.

China is America’s greatest adversary. To win the fierce economic competition for jobs, industry, and the future, America must return to the long-standing formula for American success: strong and independent workers. Years of short-sighted decisions by policymakers in Washington have only perpetuated the problem.

“As we face a new age of competition with China, we need an agenda in Washington that will make our working class strong and independent. We can start by revoking the sweetheart deal D.C. elites handed to China 23 years ago—end normal trade relations, put in place strong tariffs, and protect American workers,” said Senator Hawley.

In 2000, the United States granted China normal trade relations status, permanently. The United States then supported China’s ascension to the World Trade Organization just one year later. Providing China privileged trade status contributed to the loss of 3.7 million good jobs across manufacturing industries in America. When these jobs and factories disappeared, communities suffered. The unwinding of the social fabric in these forgotten places led to declining rates of marriage and fertility, and rising rates of addiction, divorce, and suicide. Policies that weaken working men and women in America and enrich the Chinese Communist Party must be repealed.

The Ending Normal Trade Relations with China Act would:

• Revoke China’s normal trade relations status.
• Subject imports from China to higher tariff rates.
• Provide the President with the authority to increase these tariffs even higher.

View the full bill text here.