The Trump Administration Actually Thought Imported Cars Were a “National Security” Threat (and the Courts Would’ve Let ‘Em Get Away With It)

Inu Manak andScott LincicomeDo you drive an imported car or one made here by a  foreign‐​owned company? If so, you may be a serious threat to national security –if a  long‐​awaited report from the Trump administration is to be believed.No, really.Last week, the Department of Commerce finally released itsreport on U.S. imports of automobiles and certain automotive parts, as part of the Trump administration ’s 2018investigation pursuant to Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. While the report was submitted to the president on February 17, 2019, it was not published in the Federal Register, as the law requires, because the statute does not provide a  deadline for doing so – one of many glaring loopholes in the law that relieve the Executive Branch of its accountability to Congress and the public for any actions (tariffs, quotas, etc.) taken thereunder. The Biden administration’s move to release the report is welcome, and we hope that they will also release thefour remaining reports (uranium ore, titanium sponge, transformers and their components, and vanadium) in the near future.As we wrote in a  paper earlier this year, however, even the release of all remaining reports would be insufficient when it comes to righting Section 232 ’s wrongs. The autos report’s history, findings, and implications – and a recent court case on Section 232 – make this clear.The Report ’s HistoryThe autos report ’s history demonstrates one of the law’s bi...

Source: Cato-at-liberty - July 15, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Inu Manak, Scott Lincicome Source Type: blogs