APRIL 2018 • FOGHORN 29 LEGISLATIVEREPORT We NY, too! We NY, too! © 2017 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, BUILT FOR IT, their respective logos, ”Caterpillar Yellow,” the ”Power Edge” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission. See our complete offer for ferries and cruise ships at marine.cat.com See the video at storiesfromsea.com PLEASE DO NOT REMAIN SEATED Do not switch of all electronics. Please move around freely. And above all, do not miss the spectacular beauty off the sea. With Cat® high performance engines, the total time of your journey could be the same as flying. Only with better views. And without the leg cramps. cat_ad_ferries.indd 1 08/01/18 22:30 that the national security is actually impaired; the imports simply need to “threaten to impair” national security. Also, the term “national security” is not limited to the requirements of the U.S. military but is broad enough to allow examination of the needs of critical industries in the civilian economy. Just a few weeks before he acted, the president received reports from Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross finding that imports of steel and aluminum “threaten to impair” national security and recommend- ing the imposition of import quotas or tariffs. The president’s 10 percent import tariff on aluminum will actually exceed the amount of the tariff recommended by Secretary Ross. Secretary Ross’ two reports contained no discussion as to possible adverse economic impacts on U.S. companies that use imported steel and aluminum or on American consumers. Also, it gave no consideration as to the likelihood of retaliatory trade responses by other nations in response to the U.S. tariffs. These subjects were beyond the statutory purview of Section 232, but they are major policy questions that are yet to play out as the tariffs go into effect. Press reports suggested that there was considerable controversy among administrative officials as to the wisdom of the announced trade action. Supposedly, chief economic advisor Gary Cohn tried to deflect the proposal, while Secretary Ross and White House trade advisor Dr. Peter Navarro were advocates for it. When the president rejected his input, Mr. Cohn resigned his position. In a meeting with executives from domestic companies that produce steel and aluminum, Mr. Trump promised, “We’re going to build our steel industry back, and we’re going to build our aluminum industry back…. People have no idea how badly our country has been treated by other countries, by people representing us that didn’t have a clue. Or if they did, then they should be ashamed of themselves because they’ve destroyed the steel industry, they’ve destroyed the aluminum industry, and other industries…. So we’re bringing it all back…. So we’re bringing it back, and we’re going to bring it back relatively rapidly, and we’re going to be institut- ing tariffs…. So steel and aluminum will see a lot of good things happen. We’re going to have new jobs popping up. We’re going to have much more vibrant companies…. [W]hat’s been allowed to go on for decades is dis- graceful. It’s disgraceful. And when it comes to a time when our country can’t make aluminum and steel …, you almost don’t have much of a country. Because without steel and aluminum, your country is not the same. And we need it.” n