Disapproving the Rule Submitted By the Department of Commerce Relating to ``Procedures Covering Suspension of Liquidation, Duties and Estimated Duties in Accord with Presidential Proclamation

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership and yielding me the extra time to speak.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I share my colleagues' goal of ensuring that our trade laws are fairly enforced. I certainly share our collective goal promoting domestic manufacturing and jobs.

Let's be honest. The idea that our President wants to ship jobs to China and make us dependent on China for our energy, this may sound good, this political hyperbole may sound good, but it is flatout nonsense.

If this legislation were to become law, it would cost, not create, American jobs. In the long run, it would make it harder, not easier, for our country to become energy independent.

This bill would make it impossible to deploy solar energy quickly enough here in our country, here in the United States of America. It would undercut the climate change investments in the Inflation Reduction Act; the biggest investment in fighting climate change and creating green jobs in our history.

This is an investment that we need. We have already heard from numerous speakers on the impact that we have felt from climate change: fires, floods, drought, and an increase in agricultural pests. This is at a point where we need to deploy everything we can to make sure we address the issue of climate change.

We all want solar products manufactured right here at home. That will happen. But in the short run, our domestic industry can't increase production fast enough to meet our demand or meet our climate goals.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

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