Nine Senate Democrats joined with Republicans on Wednesday to condemn President Joe Biden’s regulatory action that turns a blind eye to allegations China is violating trade rules on solar panels.
The New York Times called the 56-41 vote to block Biden’s action a “notable rebuke of the Biden administration’s actions.”
The vote would restore tariffs on solar panels from China that the communist giant had tried to route through other nations to avoid paying. Biden had signed a rule last year that imposed a two-year moratorium on those tariffs.
Biden is expected to veto the congressional resolution. It would take a two-thirds majority on both houses of Congress to override the veto.
Senate just took action to crack down on China for illegally circumventing U.S. trade law.
If President Biden cares about American jobs, the environment, preventing slave labor, or countering Communist China, he will sign this into law.
— Senator Marco Rubio (@SenMarcoRubio) May 3, 2023
Senate Democrats supporting the bill included Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Robert Casey and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Jon Tester of Montana and Ron Wyden of Oregon.
Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only Republican to oppose the measure.
The Senate vote followed a vote by the House to overturn Biden’s rule.
“If you vote no, that means you support slave labor. You don’t want more American jobs and you don’t believe our trade policies mean anything,” Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, who sponsored the bill, said on the Senate floor, according to Politico.
“This measure is pro-American jobs and anti-Chinese forced and child labor. It’s that simple,” Scott said, according to Fox News.
“It’s time for the Senate to finish the job in Congress and send this to President Biden’s desk,” he said. “This isn’t partisan, it’s about human rights. I will not stand by, and I hope the U.S. Senate will not stand by, and accept excuses to turn a blind eye to communist China’s human rights atrocities.”
Brown said the Biden administration cannot have it both ways.
“You can’t say you want American manufacturing to lead the world while allowing Chinese companies, often subsidized by the Chinese government, to skirt the rules and dump solar panels into the U.S.,” the Ohio Democrat said, according to Fox News.
“This comes down to whose side you’re on: Do you stand with workers in Ohio, or do you stand with the Chinese Communist Party?” he said.
We passed a law that America won’t buy solar panels made in foreign countries by using children (slave labor) to build solar panels. Biden and the Democrats just passed a two year waver to let China continue to abuse children as we buy there panels.
Dems have sold their souls ? https://t.co/b0Q4eweoaH— Kiss My Grits ✌️✌️ (@Reversequestion) May 4, 2023
Democratic Rep. Dan Kildee of Michigan, who sponsored the House bill with Republican Rep. Bill Posey of Florida, praised the Senate action.
“I am pleased to see the U.S. Senate, in a strong bipartisan vote, pass my legislation that supports American workers. We must hold those who violate U.S. trade laws accountable, including China,” he said in a statement.
“When we fail to enforce our trade laws, it hurts Michigan and American businesses and workers. I will continue standing up for fair trade and the American worker, including support efforts to expand the domestic manufacturing of solar panels,” Kildee said.
In a statement of his own, Posey said, “Every day that this rule is in effect the CCP gets closer to dominating the solar market, making it harder for Americans to compete. Today’s bipartisan vote in the Senate scores another big win for American solar manufacturers and workers while holding China accountable for violating our trade laws.
?Thank you @SenRickScott for leading the bipartisan effort in the Senate to stand up for American solar manufacturers/workers & protect human rights from CCP abuse https://t.co/4dvo0E5epH
— Bill Posey (@congbillposey) May 4, 2023
“I applaud Senator Rick Scott and supporters in the Senate for taking the lead on this bipartisan issue and standing up for American competitiveness.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
