U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Cleveland calls for Biden to ban Chinese-made electric vehicles to protect Ohio auto workers....By Clevelandurbannews.com, Ohio's Black digital news leader

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, a Cleveland Democrat

Staff article by Kathy Wray Coleman, editor

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), a Cleveland Democrat and seasoned member of Congress, called for Congress and President Biden to ban Chinese-made electric vehicles to protect Ohio autoworkers, and to combat what he says are economic and national security threats posed by Chinese automakers. 

In a letter to President Biden, the popular senator warned that Chinese cars, made by companies controlled and subsidized by the Chinese Communist Party, present an existential threat to the American auto industry, and that tariffs alone are insufficient to stop a government-orchestrated attack on an entire sector of the nation's economy.

“Chinese electric vehicles are an existential threat to the American auto industry. Ohio knows all too well how China illegally subsidizes its companies, putting our workers out of jobs and undermining entire industries, from steel to solar manufacturing, " said Brown in a news release. "We cannot allow China to bring its government-backed cheating to the American auto industry. The U.S. must ban Chinese electric vehicles now, and stop a flood of Chinese government-subsidized cars that threaten Ohio auto jobs, and our national and economic security.” 

Brown warned in the letter that the level of government subsidization in the Chinese auto industry would make it impossible for American automakers and autoworkers to compete on a level playing field, and would also decimate the United Autoworkers and the union’s ability to raise wages and benefits for workers across the auto sector. Chinese electric vehicles also pose a national security risk, given the technology involved in EVs and the potential for the Chinese government to gain access to large amounts of data through these cars.

Sen. Brown has long led efforts to boost American auto manufacturing and to counter China’s cheating. Brown introduced the bipartisan Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act to strengthen U.S. trade remedy laws and ensure they remain effective tools to fight back against unfair trade practices and protect American workers.

 In January Brown called on the Biden Administration to increase tariffs on Chinese solar imports threatening American solar manufacturing jobs, including in Ohio at companies like First Solar in Toledo. In May of 2023, Brown led his Senate colleagues in voting to reinstate duties on illegally dumped Chinese solar panels. Sen Brown also led the successful opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which had weaker auto rules of origin than NAFTA and would have been devastating for the Ohio industry.

Read Sen Brown's full letter to President Biden here 

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.