Wyden, Crapo Call For Strong Protections For American Jobs and Manufacturing in U.S.-Canada Softwood Lumber Negotiations

Absent an Agreement, Senators Urge Full Enforcement of Trade Laws Against Unfair Lumber Imports

WASHINGTON – In a letter sent to the U.S. Trade Representative today, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Senator Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and 23 other Senators called for any new softwood lumber agreement with Canada to include strong protections for American lumber jobs and mills.

“The adverse impacts of Canada’s subsidized lumber on U.S. producers, workers, and communities have been well-documented for decades. Subsidized and unfairly traded lumber imports continue to severely harm United States mills, workers and communities,” the Senators wrote. “To fully address these impacts, any new agreement must establish border measures that are effective in all market situations and that disallow further divergences between U.S. and Canadian timber costs created by Canadian subsidies. Should Canada and the United States be unable to reach an agreement that meets these conditions, the U.S. industry has made clear that it is prepared to exercise its rights under U.S. trade laws. It is critical that U.S. trade laws be fully enforced against unfairly traded imports, including softwood lumber.”

The previous softwood lumber agreement expired in 2015. The full text of the letter is available here.

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