U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

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79–011 2018

115th Congress, 2d Session – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 115–111 

NOTIFICATION ON THE DETERMINATION OF TARIFF 

INCREASES 

COMMUNICATION 

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRANSMITTING

NOTIFICATION OF A DETERMINATION ON TARIFF INCREASES ON 

THE IMPORTATION OF ALUMINUM AND STEEL, PURSUANT TO 

19 U.S.C. 1862(c)(2); PUBLIC LAW 87–794, SEC. 232 (PUBLIC LAW 

100–418, SEC. 1501(a)(3); (102 STAT. 1258) 

APRIL 9, 2018.—Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and 

ordered to be printed 


E:\Seals\Congress.#13
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THE WHITE HOUSE, 

Washington, April 6, 2018. 

HON. PAUL D. RYAN, 

Speaker of the House of Representatives, 

Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. SPEAKER: On January 11, 2018, the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) transmitted to me a report on his investigation 

into the effects of imports of steel mill articles on the national security of the United States under section 232 of the Trade Expansion 

Act of 1962, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1862). On January 19, 2018, 

the Secretary transmitted to me a report on his investigation into 

the effects of imports of aluminum articles on the national security 

of the United States under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act 

of 1962, as amended. 

On March 8, 2018, I took action under section 232 of the Trade 

Expansion Act of 1962, as amended, to adjust imports of aluminum 

and steel by imposing a 10 percent ad valorem tariff on aluminum 

articles and a 25 percent ad valorem tariff on steel articles imported from all countries except Canada and Mexico, effective 

March 23, 2018 (Proclamations 9704 and 9705). I concurred with 

the Secretary’s respective findings that aluminum and steel articles 

are being imported into the United States in such quantities and 

under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States. In my judgment, these tariffs are necessary and appropriate in light of the many factors I have considered, including the Secretary’s reports, the failure of countries to 

agree on measures to reduce global excess capacity, the continued 

high level of imports since the beginning of the year, and special 

circumstances that exist with respect to Canada and Mexico. 

On March 22, 2018, I modified the section 232 tariffs on aluminum and steel imports to temporarily suspend the tariffs for certain countries before they took effect (Proclamations 9710 and 

9711). Tariffs on aluminum and steel imports from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the member countries of the European Union, and South Korea are suspended until May 1, 2018, 

pending discussions regarding satisfactory, long-term alternative 

means to address the threatened impairment to the national security of the United States. Any country with a security relationship 

with the United States not currently exempted remains welcome to 

discuss with us a possible exemption based on alternative means 

to address the threatened impairment to the national security of 

the United States caused by imports of aluminum and steel articles 

from that country. 

On March 8, 2018, I also authorized a process for directly affected parties to apply for an exclusion for specific aluminum or 

steel products that they need. The Secretary, in consultation with 

other Administration officials, will evaluate exclusion requests for 

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products, taking into account national security considerations. In 

that evaluation, the Secretary will consider whether a product is 

produced in the United States of a satisfactory quality or in a sufficient and reasonably available amount. The Department of Commerce has published an interim final rule establishing this process. 

83 Fed. Reg. 53, 12106 (March 19, 2018). 

Sincerely, 

DONALD J. TRUMP. 

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