Dem Senator claims that imposing solar tariffs on China is ‘surrendering’ to them

During a Senate session on Wednesday, Colorado Senator Michael Bennet (D) made the claim that imposing tariffs aimed at China actually constitutes “surrendering” to them.

Speaking on a House-passed resolution to roll back Biden’s tariff moratorium on solar panels manufactured overseas, Sen. Bennet claimed that “if you are voting [for the resolution]... you’re surrendering to the Chinese.”

In 2022, Biden installed a two-year moratorium on enforcing solar panel tariffs, calling it a “bridge” to bolster U.S. solar manufacturers. However, the Commerce Department has previously expressed concern that China was dodging U.S. tariffs by routing manufacturing through several countries in Southeast Asia.

In response, the House voted 221-201 yesterday in a bipartisan measure to advance the resolution to end the moratorium, a move Sen. Bennet further said is not at all “tough on China," but instead, is “counterproductive.”

“I’ve seen lots of things on this floor that didn’t make sense,” he said, “allegedly because we’re competing with China: I’ve never seen something as counterproductive as this.”

Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen (D) also spoke staunchly against the bipartisan legislation, arguing the resumed tariffs would result in “killing American [solar] jobs.”

“Are we going to put [a solar worker’s] family on unemployment, just for politics,” she asked rhetorically.

The Senate is expected to vote on the resolution later tonight. If passed, Biden is expected to veto it upon arrival.

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