An outspoken critic of tariffs imposed against steel and aluminum products and the impact it has had to domestic producers of oil and natural gas, the Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s decision Friday, May 17th to lift steel and aluminum tariffs under Section 232 for Canada and Mexico:
“TIPRO commends the Trump Administration for reaching an agreement with Canada and Mexico to lift the 25 percent steel import tax on domestic producers and not replace them with harmful quotas. Since the tariffs were first proposed by President Trump last year, TIPRO has consistently communicated with state and federal officials on this issue, warning of the negative implications posed to the nation’s energy industry. As the largest producer of oil and natural gas in the United States, Texas has borne an inordinate burden from steel import quotas. This added expense, combined with challenges associated pipeline constraints in West Texas and the negative impact of the China trade war on domestic oil exports, has caused unnecessary strain for an industry vital to our state and country from an economic and national security perspective.
We look forward to reviewing the details of this important agreement and applaud the Administration for recognizing the negative effects the steel tariffs have had. Continuing regulatory improvements at the federal level, expanding pipeline capacity in West Texas and an expedited resolution to trade disputes will support increased U.S. energy production, strengthen national security and drive further economic growth for the state of Texas and United States as a whole.”
