Calling it a bipartisan letter, Democratic U.S. Senators wrote the President this week urging him to bring a fast end to the Administration’s investigation into solar panels imported from Asia, a probe that already caused widespread delays and cancellations of solar projects in the U.S.
In reality, the letter, signed by 19 Senators included Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran as the only Republican. The remaining 18 senators, led by Nevada Democrat Jacky Rosen were all Democrats who are upset with the impact the government investigation is having on the solar industry in this country.
“Initiation of this investigation is already causing massive disruption in the solar industry, and it will severely harm American solar businesses and workers and increase costs for American families as long as it continues,” wrote the Senators. “We strongly urge your administration to swiftly review the case and make an expedited preliminary determination. Such a determination should carefully consider the significant policy ramifications and reject the petitioner’s request for retroactivity.”
The probe focuses on solar panels and cells imported from Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. The Senators fear the probe could eventually be expanded into what they call harmful and job-killing tariffs on solar imports.
The solar industry employs more than 230,000 workers in the U.S. But the Solar Energy Industries Association stated that 70% of the solar countries in America contend half of their workforce is at risk because of the investigation.
The letter was signed by Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Angus King (I-Maine), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).
The full text of the letter can be found here.
