Sen. Brown is talking with USTR to exempt Canada, Mexico from steel tariffs

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said he was working with U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer on a way to exempt Canada and Mexico from steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.Brown said Trump's tariffs were necessary to protect U.S. steel and aluminum producers against the damaging effect of Chinese excess capacity. But he said shared the concern of many senators about Canada and Mexico being covered by the tariffs."I am working with the administration to reach a solution through negotiations. I encourage my colleagues to do the same," Brown said. "I talked to Ambassador Lighthizer last night. We are in a holding pattern with the NAFTA talks until Mexico’s election on July 1. But soon after that election, the NAFTA talks will pick right back up and steel and aluminum tariffs will be part of that dialogue.”