WASHINGTON DC – After a months-long pressure campaign led by U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) working with a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues and American solar industry stakeholders, President Biden took major action this week to address the threat of additional solar tariffs posed by the Commerce Department’s industry-crushing investigation into solar panels and cells imported from Southeast Asia. The Administration announced they will declare a two-year solar tariff suspension window for this region, while also invoking the Defense Production Act to boost U.S. solar manufacturing.
Leading up to Monday’s announcement from the White House, Senator Rosen has pressed Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo about expediting this investigation at an oversight hearing, spearheaded a bipartisan group of senators in urging President Biden to expedite and end the investigation, and led senators in meeting with senior White House officials to stress the damaging impact of the investigation.
CNN: Rosen Discusses Her Successful Efforts to Stop the Threat of Additional Solar Tariffs
Rosen: “I have been really glad to lead the charge because Nevada has the most solar jobs per capita than any other state in the nation… These are good paying jobs. Of course, we want a green energy future – renewable future – not just in the desert Southwest where I live, but all across this country, there are thousands and thousands of solar projects.”
Politico: Biden moves to ease trade turmoil threatening his solar energy ambitions
By Kelsey Tamborrino
Key Points:
- Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen, who led the Senate letter opposing the probe, applauded the White House’s “concrete action” on the issue Monday.
- “The risk of additional tariffs on imported solar panels would have been devastating for American solar projects, the hundreds of thousands of jobs they support, and our nation’s clean energy and climate goals,” Rosen said in a statement. “The Administration’s announcement is a positive step that will save American solar jobs and invest in our own long-term domestic solar manufacturing capabilities.”
CNN: Biden announces new executive actions to spur domestic solar, clean energy development
By Ella Nilsen
Key Points:
- Some Democratic and Republican lawmakers from states where solar is a large employer had blasted the administration for the probe.
- Last month, Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada questioned Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo about the investigation and took to the floor with colleagues to complain about job losses in her state resulting from the threat of tariffs. Rosen and other Democrats were also joined by Republicans including North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis in their concerns about the retroactive tariff threat.
- In a statement, Rosen called Biden’s announcement a “positive step that will save American solar jobs.”
- “The risk of additional tariffs on imported solar panels would have been devastating for American solar projects, the hundreds of thousands of jobs they support, and our nation’s clean energy and climate goals,” Rosen said.
Associated Press: US solar companies weigh challenge to Biden pause on tariffs
By Matthew Daly
Key Points:
- Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, who has pushed Commerce to conclude its investigation, called Biden’s announcement a positive step that will save American solar jobs, including thousands in her state.
- “The risk of additional tariffs on imported solar panels would have been devastating for American solar projects, the hundreds of thousands of jobs they support, and our nation’s clean energy and climate goals,″ she said.
Washington Post: White House takes steps to spur solar industry
By Evan Halper
Key Points:
- Several Democratic senators expressed alarm on a call with top White House officials late last month, during which they pressured the White House to intervene.
- “I’m glad the Biden administration is now taking concrete action,” said Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), who has lobbied the White House to bring relief to the industry.
The Hill: Biden to delay new solar tariffs in bid to boost industry
By Morgan Chalfant
Key Points:
- The ongoing Commerce investigation has triggered debate in Congress, with a bipartisan group of lawmakers arguing that the probe and related tariffs could devastate the domestic solar industry.
- One of those lawmakers, Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), reacted positively to the White House announcement, arguing it would save solar jobs.
- “The risk of additional tariffs on imported solar panels would have been devastating for American solar projects, the hundreds of thousands of jobs they support, and our nation’s clean energy and climate goals,” Rosen said in a statement.
KSNV Las Vegas: Nevada’s solar industry breathes sigh of relief
By Jeff Gillan
Key Points:
- Senator Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, wants to make sure Nevada’s solar industry continues to thrive. Rosen took the lead, her office says, in getting the White House this week to suspend tariffs on solar products from Southeast Asia.
- “Well number one, it means jobs, jobs, jobs. That’s the most important thing for Nevada – over 6,000 jobs,” Rosen says.
- It’s a priority for Senator Rosen, too. She says she was getting an earful from local solar companies about what higher costs from tariffs meant.
KTVN Reno: Local Solar Energy Sector Could Benefit From Defense Production Act
By Paul Nelson
Key Points:
- Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, is a supporter of President Biden’s move. She says it will affect many businesses in Nevada. The Silver State leads the country in solar energy jobs per capita.
- “It’s going to keep these 6,000 or more jobs in Nevada, the hundreds of thousands of jobs across this nation and it’s going to give us a bridge to increase our domestic solar manufacturing capacity,” Rosen said.
- “These are good-paying, American jobs in manufacturing, in installation and in maintenance, and of course when you create these things in a community, they also create other jobs,” Rosen said.
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Biden waives solar tariffs despite investigation
By Gary Martin
Key Points:
- Rosen said in a statement that the “risk of additional tariffs on imported solar panels would have been devastating for American solar projects, the hundreds of thousands of jobs they support and the nation’s clean energy and climate goals.”
- Rosen said the administration’s use of the Defense Production Act and the tariffs waiver “will save American solar jobs and invest in our long-term domestic solar manufacturing capabilities.”
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