Garamendi backs unions against China's trade practices impacting US maritime sector

U.S. Representative John Garamendi has expressed his support for skilled trade unions following a recent determination by the Biden-Harris Administration's U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai. The investigation found that China's influence in the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors is "actionable" under Section 301.

Garamendi stated, “Today, I’m proud to stand with American workers in the U.S. shipbuilding and maritime industry as they fight the heavily subsidized foreign shipyards and unfair trade practices of the People’s Republic of China." He emphasized the challenges faced by American workers due to these practices and praised federal efforts to protect domestic manufacturing jobs.

The congressman highlighted his decade-long commitment to revitalizing the U.S. maritime industry, citing it as essential for economic growth and national security. He mentioned his collaboration with Senator Kelly, Senator Young, and Representative Trent Kelly on introducing the SHIPS for America Act last year as part of this effort.

Garamendi underscored the importance of skilled American workers in commercial shipyards for both economic stability and national defense. "I applaud the union representatives as they continue fighting for American shipbuilding jobs,” he added.

The full report from the USTR detailing their findings is available for review.