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Bipartisan Congressional Delegation sign letters in support of U.S. hardwood plywood industry

Oct. 27, 2017 - In advance of Thursday's International Trade Commission (ITC) hearing on illegal imports of Chinese hardwood plywood, forty-eight members of Congress including Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), and Representatives Greg Walden (R-OR) and Peter DeFazio (D-OR) signed letters of support for the U.S. hardwood plywood industry.

The letters addressed to Chairman Rhonda K. Schmidtlein and Vice-Chair David S. Johnson of the ITC urged strong support for the ITC's investigation into unfairly traded imports of hardwood plywood from China. In these bipartisan congressional letters, the members of Congress explain how the United States should not allow its capacity to manufacture high-quality products domestically to erode in the face of unfair trade practices that hurt America's hardwood plywood industry.

According to Senator Ron Wyden, "for too long, China has been using government subsidies to give an unfair advantage to its producers, then unleashing a flood of subsidized hardwood plywood on the U.S. market.  It is critical that producers of hardwood plywood and millworkers across the United States get the relief they deserve."

"We greatly appreciate this Congressional support as we make our case this week before the ITC," said Timothy Brightbill, legal counsel for the Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood. "It is imperative that we have congressional support in our fight against China's illegal trade practices. We look forward to more congressional cooperation and support as we continue to fight against dumped and subsidized Chinese products."

Imports of Chinese hardwood plywood products have increased 35 to 45 per cent since 2013, putting thousands of American jobs at risk. Several U.S. hardwood plywood mills have been forced to close their doors or significantly cut jobs.

Responding to this trade crisis, the ITC launched an investigation into illegal Chinese trade tactics and imports. Currently, the ITC is in its final phase of antidumping and countervailing duty investigation.

October 27, 2017  By Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood