Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) president Dennis Slater issued the following statement on the reintroduction of the Bicameral Congressional Trade Authority Act:

“The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) applauds the reintroduction of the Bicameral Congressional Trade Authority Act. This legislation will reestablish congressional authority on Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, ensuring that future tariffs or quotas put in place under national security grounds are reviewed by Congress. U.S. equipment manufacturers continue to pay artificially inflated prices for steel, which is undermining American manufacturing and our industry’s ability to compete globally. This legislation will add much needed transparency and accountability to a flawed process and make sure the Department of Defense also plays an active role in determining what is a national security threat. We applaud Senator Toomey (R-Pa.) for continuing to focus on this important issue and making sure U.S. manufacturers and American workers are not weighed down by bad policy.”

Equipment manufacturers rely on mutually beneficial trade relationships with our partners. For example, 30 percent of equipment made in the United States destined for export. A robust trade market helps support many of the 2.8 million good-paying jobs our industry supports in the U.S.