Tester Secures International Trade Commission Victory for Montana Workers and Infrastructure

Senator urged Commission to reject new duties on Canadian Fabricated Structural Steel

U.S. Senator Jon Tester today secured a huge victory for Montana workers, businesses, and infrastructure when the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) decided not to impose tariffs on Canadian Fabricated Structural Steel (FSS). Senator Tester submitted testimony in January urging the ITC to consider the negative impact tariffs would have on Montana and reject any new duties on Canadian FSS.

“The fact is, Montana’s economy depends on global markets to thrive, which is why I urged the ITC to reject new tariffs against Canada,” said Tester. “This is a victory for Montana workers, businesses, and infrastructure, and I’m glad the Commission made the right decision.”

In 2019, the Department of Commerce opened an investigation into dumping of FSS imports from Canada, Mexico, and China. The Department ruled in January that Mexico, Canada, and China dumped FSS products into the U.S. The ITC then held a hearing to determine if tariffs—which would drive up steel prices, cutting into the bottom lines of Montana businesses—should be applied to each country to offset the impact of the dumping.

“Imposing tariffs on FSS would have a negative impact on the U.S. construction industry and our nation’s infrastructure,” Tester wrote in his January testimony to the ITC. “In Montana, this could put many highly-skilled workers out of a job, and halt the advancement of our growing communities. As such, I urge the Commission to reject [antidumping] duties on Canadian FSS.”

Jon is a strong supporter of fair cross-border trade with Canada. He recently helped pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the new North American free trade pact that makes progress on critical issues like Canada’s discriminatory wheat grading practices.

Read Tester’s full testimony before the ITC HERE.