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Paper tariffs must be extended

EDITOR:

The next time you pick up a catalog, magazine or see a mailer for the election consider the fact that the pages you are holding very well may have been produced at our paper mill right here in Escanaba.

Our mill has been here for over a century and has provided for our local community for many years. In short, the success of our local mill helps all within this community.

Just five years ago, our community was in serious jeopardy as the U.S. paper industry teetered on the verge of collapse. At that time, coated paper products from China and several other countries were being dumped into U.S markets at prices below production costs. As a result, foreign producers were gobbling up large segments of the domestic market, driving down demand for paper made in the USA. Across the country, mills were temporarily or permanently closed and thousands of workers were laid off.

Working together, the United Steelworkers, Verso, Sappi and Appleton Coated Paper filed a trade case with the International Trade Commission (ITC) and the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) charging China and the others with the subsidizing of their paper industries. A financial practice that undermines fair trade equality and disproportionately affects American workers.

After months of investigation and testimony, the ITC ruled in our favor and imposed new tariffs on the products named in the suit.

The tariffs worked. They brought prices for foreign products in line with U.S. coated paper and gave American workers a chance to compete on a level playing field. And, as we all know, when given a chance to compete under the same rules, American workers will out produce the competition every time. As a result, the industry is back!

That’s the kind of success story we all like to hear. However, our community and the U.S. paper industry is at risk once again. Under trade law, after some years the DOC is required to hold a new investigation to determine if an extension of the tariffs is warranted. Because the countries involved in our trade case have not responded to the ITC regarding our charges, we believe that if the tariffs are ended they will revert to the same predatory practices. For that reason, we believe the tariffs should remain in place. If you agree, please call your U.S. Representative and Senators and ask them to support extending coated paper tariffs.

U.S. Representative Dan Benishek (202) 225.4735

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (202) 224-4822

U.S. Senator Gary Peters (202) 224.6221

Sincerely,

Stephen Benoit, President

USW Local Union 2-21

Escanaba

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