Biden threatens to veto bill to lift moratorium on solar tariffs

President Joe Biden is threatening to veto legislation that would re-instate tariffs as high as 254% on solar panels imported from Southeast Asia, the White House said Monday. 

The bill, slated for a House vote later this week, would repeal a two-year moratorium on solar tariffs imposed by the Biden administration to blunt economic pain after the Commerce Department found some Chinese solar manufacturers were evading decade-old import duties.

“This rule is necessary to satisfy the demand for reliable and clean energy while ensuring Commerce is able to rigorously enforce U.S. trade laws, hold trading partners accountable and defend U.S. industries and workers from unfair trade actions,” the White House said in a statement. 

The legislation would use the so-called Congressional Review Act, which needs just a simple majority to pass. It was approved last week by the House Ways and Means Committee with Democratic support.