Jul 3, 2018 1 min read

The newspaper industry wants Congress to block a possible tariff on paper imports. They say any increase in newsprint costs will sink their businesses, and that they must be allowed to continue buying imported paper because it’s cheap. I appreciate they operate on thin margins, but I worry about the unintended consequences if they’re successful.

In the United States, trade cases are based on facts by an independent commission – not a political process. A paper mill went through the effort of trying a case alleging that importers were being supported by government subsidies. And guess what? The facts backed them up!

If newspaper publishers persuade Congress to block a fairly decided tariff, that leaves the paper mill out to dry. And it will prove to other industries that benefit from unfairly priced imports that Congress will help you keep them.

What is the point of our trade rules if you don’t enforce them? This bill targeting the tariff is shortsighted.

JoJo Burgess

Washington