Nine Senate Democrats say solar-tariff resolution would be ‘devastating blow’ to solar industry

 Nine Senate Democrats warned against a bipartisan resolution to resume tariffs on solar imports in a letter shared exclusively with The Hill.

In the letter, set to be published Wednesday, the senators expressed support for President Biden’s two-year moratorium on duties for solar imports from four Southeast Asian countries.

The House on Friday voted 221-202 in favor of a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to resume the tariffs. The Senate version, scheduled for a vote Wednesday, is likely to pass, with at least four Democrats joining the Republicans in voting for the bill: Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Proponents of the resolution have said the tariffs are vital to protecting American solar manufacturing. However, both the Biden administration and the nine Democrats say the reprieve of the tariff suspension is necessary to allow the U.S. to build up enough solar infrastructure to reduce that dependence...more