(WASHINGTON, DC) – About a dozen members of Congress
are calling on President Donald Trump to take "strong and effective"
action to protect the U.S. solar industry against foreign competition that they
said could undermine U.S. energy independence. "In order to ensure
electrical grid security, the U.S. cannot afford to become dependent on imports
from China and other countries for cutting-edge [crystalline photovoltaic]
solar cell and module technology," Sens. Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley and Sherrod Brown said
in a letter to Trump.
Eight House lawmakers sent a nearly identical letter making the
same argument.
Trump faces a decision by
the end of January on whether to restrict imports of
solar cells and modules from around the world to give the U.S. industry time to
become more competitive. The U.S. International Trade Commission has already
recommended relief in an "emergency safeguard" case brought by Georgia-based
Suniva and Oregon-based SolarWorld, but it is up to Trump to decide what, if
any, action to take. "We urge you to impose a strong and effective remedy
that will ensure a growing and competitive U.S. CSPV solar cell and module
manufacturing industry and promote robust growth across our entire domestic
solar industry," the lawmakers wrote.
