Tester Statement on Opposition to Biden Administration Solar Tariff Rule

U.S. Senator Jon Tester released the following statement on his vote to overturn a Biden Administration rule that removestariffs from solar materials made in China and shipped through third party countries to circumvent existing tariffs:

“I will always take on anyone, including President Biden, to make sure America maintains our position as the world’s leading economic power. Removing tariffs when adversaries like China break the rules hurts American workers and would kneecap our ability to outcompete foreign countries. That’s why I joined Republicans and Democrats to reject this rule so that we can strengthen domestic manufacturing and our national security.”

Tester has led the charge in Montana to create good-paying jobs and maintain America’s competitive edge over China.

Last year, Congress passed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act that will invest in high-tech manufacturing across the country, strengthen technology supply chains, and bolster development of cutting-edge research in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Tester was the only member of the Montana congressional delegation to serve on the conference committee that negotiated the bill.

Among Tester’s key achievements in negotiating the legislation were provisions that establish Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs in key areas across the country. He championed an amendment to ensure that a rural state like Montana will have an opportunity to secure Tech Hub funding, which could ultimately bring hundreds of millions of dollars in new federal funding to the state.

Tester continues to press the Biden Administration on bringing a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub to Montana. In February, Tester hosted a roundtable at Missoula College in Missoula to discuss next steps for securing a regional Montana Technology and Innovation Hub, and the innovation and economic growth it would bring to the state. And in March, Tester sent a letter urging Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and the Biden Administration to take into consideration feedback from Montanans on why the state should be selected for a rural Tech Hub.