It can be hard to remember what happened last week, let alone in 2018, given how much is happening right now, but you may recall the Trump administration began a two-year trade war with China over the past two years. The administration has more recently removed tariffs from some imports, but medical equipment produced in China is still subject to unnecessary extra expenses imposed on purchasers of these products in the United States.
The administration has now signaled a willingness to remove tariffs on medical supplies from China as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to intensify here in the United States. The U.S. Trade Representative, in a statement late Friday, invited the public to submit comments on “possible further modifications to remove duties from additional medical care products.”
Today’s Action: Tell the Trump administration to remove tariffs from life-saving medical supplies
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Go to http://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=USTR-2020-0014-0001
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Add a comment. Feel free to adapt the sample script below.
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Include your first and last name, if desired, and press the “Continue” button.
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Check the “I read and understand the statement above” checkbox on the next page, and then click the “Submit Comment” button.
Sample script:
I think it is unconscionable for the United States government to continue tariffs on life-saving medical supplies in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Removing these tariffs is a moral necessity, helping to save lives here in the United States.
Background
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Read the official request for comments from the US Trade Representative: http://www.regulations.gov/contentStreamer?documentId=USTR-2020-0014-0001&contentType=pdf
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“U.S. Shows Willingness to Remove Tariffs on Medical Supplies” (2020): http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-21/u-s-signals-willingness-to-remove-tariffs-on-medical-supplies?sref=e6XtIgfq
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“White House Unveils Tariffs on 1,300 Chinese Products” (2018): http://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/03/us/politics/white-house-chinese-imports-tariffs.html
