Schumer to Block Trade Nominees Until Administration Takes Action on Steel, Aluminum Investigations
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., will block the nominations of Gilbert Kaplan to be under secretary of commerce for international trade and Nazakhtar Nikakhtar to be an assistant secretary of commerce for industry and analysis at the International Trade Administration until the Commerce Department gives more information on the progress of metal import reviews, Schumer said in a statement. The Trump administration launched Section 232 investigations in April into whether steel and aluminum imports are a threat to national security, and affirmative findings could result in tariffs or quotas on those products. The investigations, led by the Commerce Department, remain under interagency review after Commerce indefinitely postponed its self-imposed deadline of June 30 for concluding the steel investigation (see 1705240034).
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Senators and domestic industry executives have complained that steel imports have surged since the administration started that review (see 1709150023 and 1709070053). A letter sent by Schumer and eight other Senate Democrats to President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross Oct. 24 reflects these concerns, and urges the administration to conclude both 232 investigations and to present the findings to Trump before he is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Nov. 8. Massachusetts Democrat Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey in an Oct. 25 letter to Ross also urged a quick conclusion to the ongoing 232 reviews.
“Specifically, I am deeply frustrated by [Commerce] Secretary [Wilbur] Ross’s perpetual foot dragging on this critical investigation, and I was shocked by his recent nonsensical excuse that the Department of Commerce is waiting until after the unrelated Republican tax plan passes to complete these investigations,” Schumer said in a statement. “The steel industry has seen a surge of imports since the announcement of these investigations that has already cost jobs.” Schumer said he was holding the nominees "reluctantly," adding that he would keep the blocks in place until Commerce "provides a satisfactory and meaningful response" on the investigations' progress.
The nominees can still be confirmed with Schumer’s hold, but that would require a more arduous procedural process and delay their confirmation. The Senate Finance Committee on Sept. 7 cleared Kaplan’s nomination for full Senate consideration (see 1709070065). Nikakhtar awaits a confirmation hearing after being nominated Sept. 28 (see 1709290045). The White House and Commerce didn’t comment.
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of Schumer's statement and the Oct. 24 letter.