SENATE BILL: Support Our Steelworkers Act of 2020 (Passed)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Support Our Steelworkers Act of 2020

Senate Bill
to temporarily prohibit the importation of certain iron and steel articles.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of Atlasia in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Support Our Steelworkers Act of 2020”.

SECTION 2. DUTIES ON THE IMPORTATION OF STEEL PRODUCTS.

(a) A permanent tariff rate of 5% shall be imposed on the importation of any article classified under chapter 72 or 73 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
(b) The President may increase this tariff rate to up to 15% on specific countries deemed to be engaging in unfair trade practices for up to 150 days.
 (i) The President must obtain congressional authorisation to extend an increase of tariffs under Part B beyond 150 days.

SECTION 3. IMPLEMENTATION

(a) This bill shall take effect on the January 1st 2021.

House of Representatives
Passed the House of Representatives 5-2-1-1

Sponsor: YE
Senate Designation: SB24:08

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Okay initial debate period has commenced. 24 hours for sponsor and 48 hours for everyone else thereafter.

[YE]

This protects goods manufactured (and thus keep tries to their jobs in the Rust Belt rather than sweatshops) in Atlasia as listed and regulated in Chapter 72 and 73 of the tariff schedule (so iron and steel) but not sure if it's in the best interest to give the president such power at least in game (though IRL I didn't like it when the GOP tried the roll back trump's power on the issue of tariffs).

[Esteemed Jimmy]

I fully support this bill and will continue to do so in the Senate. Atlasian workers need to be protected from imported cheap steel that undercuts domestic steel and costs steelworkers their jobs.

[YE]

By comparison, the average US tariff rate is 2 percent. That is somewhat lower than what is in most developed countries and even lower than what it was even most of the time post-1947.

The United States currently has a trade-weighted average import tariff rate of 2.0 percent on industrial goods. One-half of all industrial goods entering the United States enter duty free.

[Former President tack50]

Given Atlasia =/= Real life, I doubt the presidential part will get much use, especially beyond 150 days

As for the bill in general, you say Atlasia currently has lower tariffs than the rest of the world? Tbh I am not a huge fan of tariffs (though I understand them in cases of unfair competition). So this bill would actually bring us in line with the rest of the world?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This protects goods manufactured (and thus keep tries to their jobs in the Rust Belt rather than sweatshops) in Atlasia as listed and regulated in Chapter 72 and 73 of the tariff schedule (so iron and steel) but not sure if it's in the best interest to give the president such power at least in game (though IRL I didn't like it when the GOP tried the roll back trump's power on the issue of tariffs).

It does have some pretty decent safeguards in the current bill compared to rl, though. What would be the in game concern?

[Deep Dixieland Senator, Muad'dib (OSR MSR)]

I fully support this bill and will continue to do so in the Senate. Atlasian workers need to be protected from imported cheap steel that undercuts domestic steel and costs steelworkers their jobs.

One could also make a defence argument in favour of supporting the industry and preserving jobs with these skills. The other thing to add it that some foreign steel is also of low quality compared to domestic steel. I am glad to see support for Atlasian steelworkers.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Tariffs historically have favored large domestic corporations at the expense of consumers, who ultimately pay the cost of the tariffs as it's passed down to them.  But if this brings us in line with most other developed countries, Atlasia wouldn't be at any comparative disadvantage.  I will probably vote for this bill unless I find evidence suggesting otherwise.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Tariffs historically have favored large domestic corporations at the expense of consumers, who ultimately pay the cost of the tariffs as it's passed down to them.  But if this brings us in line with most other developed countries, Atlasia wouldn't be at any comparative disadvantage.  I will probably vote for this bill unless I find evidence suggesting otherwise.

It depends on the context though. For instance the existing firm is a multi-national corporation that can fix prices on an international level, then the dynamic of tariffs relative to monopoly flips, and the tariffs can help you stand up competing firms, which might indeed be more expensive at first (lacking economies of scale/having startup costs) but down the road would end up cheaper depending on various factors.

[YE]

This protects goods manufactured (and thus keep tries to their jobs in the Rust Belt rather than sweatshops) in Atlasia as listed and regulated in Chapter 72 and 73 of the tariff schedule (so iron and steel) but not sure if it's in the best interest to give the president such power at least in game (though IRL I didn't like it when the GOP tried the roll back trump's power on the issue of tariffs).

It does have some pretty decent safeguards in the current bill compared to rl, though. What would be the in game concern?

That in general I’m not always the biggest fan of a strong executive in general.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This protects goods manufactured (and thus keep tries to their jobs in the Rust Belt rather than sweatshops) in Atlasia as listed and regulated in Chapter 72 and 73 of the tariff schedule (so iron and steel) but not sure if it's in the best interest to give the president such power at least in game (though IRL I didn't like it when the GOP tried the roll back trump's power on the issue of tariffs).

It does have some pretty decent safeguards in the current bill compared to rl, though. What would be the in game concern?

That in general I’m not always the biggest fan of a strong executive in general.

I have long been inclined similarly in game, but that requires a caveat, there are some areas where Presidential activity and thus by extension power can be lacking at times and that can be damaging as well.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

So any further debate here? or should we move to a final vote?

[Former President tack50]

It is a simple enough bill and there does not seem to be any apetite for amendments.

Motion for a final vote

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

It is a simple enough bill and there does not seem to be any apetite for amendments.

Motion for a final vote

Seconding.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

It is a simple enough bill and there does not seem to be any apetite for amendments.

Motion for a final vote

Seconding.

Thirding.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

24 hours to object.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

A Final vote is now open on this bill, Senators please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

AYE

[Former President tack50]

Abstain

[At-Large Senator LouisvilleThunder]

Aye

[Esteemed Jimmy]

Aye

[YE]

Aye

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Vote on final Passage of the Support Our Steelworkers Act of 2020:

Aye (5): Jimmy, LT, NC Yankee, Scott and YE
Nay (0):
Abstain (1): Tack50

Didn't Vote (0):

This has passed the Senate and is sent to the VP for executive action.