II 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3680 

To amend subchapter III of chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule 

of the United States to repeal increases in duties and a tariff-rate 

quota on certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and to require the 

Secretary of Energy to establish and carry out a program to support 

and incentivize manufacturing of solar energy components in the United 

States, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 17, 2022 

Ms. ROSEN (for herself and Mr. MORAN) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To amend subchapter III of chapter 99 of the Harmonized 

Tariff Schedule of the United States to repeal increases 

in duties and a tariff-rate quota on certain crystalline 

silicon photovoltaic cells and to require the Secretary 

of Energy to establish and carry out a program to support and incentivize manufacturing of solar energy components in the United States, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting American 

3 Solar Jobs and Lowering Costs Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. REPEAL OF INCREASES IN DUTY AND A TARIFF5 RATE QUOTA ON CERTAIN CRYSTALLINE SIL6 ICON PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) According to the National Solar Jobs Cen9 sus, the solar workforce increased by 167 percent 

10 between 2010 and 2020, adding approximately 

11 156,000 jobs. 

12 (2) Nearly 90 percent of solar jobs in the 

13 United States are in the installation, operation and 

14 maintenance, sales, distribution, and project develop15 ment sectors, all of which heavily depend on the 

16 availability of affordable solar panels. 

17 (3) In 2020, solar accounted for 43 percent of 

18 all new electricity-generating capacity in the United 

19 States, representing solar’s largest ever share of new 

20 generating capacity and ranking first among all 

21 technologies for the second year in a row. 

22 (4) According to the Solar Energy Industries 

23 Association, the United States solar industry has 

24 lost almost 13,000 jobs since duties were imposed 

25 under chapter 1 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 

26 (19 U.S.C. 2251 et seq.) with respect to solar cells 


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1 and modules in 2018, in addition to almost 20,000 

2 projected new solar jobs that were not realized as a 

3 result of those duties. 

4 (b) REPEAL.—Subchapter III of chapter 99 of the 

5 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is 

6 amended— 

7 (1) by striking U.S. Note 18; and 

8 (2) by striking— 

9 (A) subheadings 9903.45.21 and 

10 9903.45.22, and the superior text to such sub11 headings; and 

12 (B) subheading 9903.45.25. 

13 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

14 this section take effect on the date of the enactment of 

15 this Act and apply with respect to articles entered, or with16 drawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after that 

17 date. 

18 SEC. 3. SUPPORT FOR DOMESTIC SOLAR MANUFACTURING. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of ap20 propriations, the Secretary of Energy shall establish and 

21 carry out a program to support and incentivize manufac22 turing of solar energy components in the United States. 

23 (b) EMPHASIS.—The program required under sub24 section (a) may emphasize the following: 


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1 (1) Research and development to expand and 

2 reduce the cost of manufacturing polysilicon, solar 

3 panels, encapsulants, backsheets, and inverters in 

4 the United States. 

5 (2) Development of new manufacturing capa6 bilities for solar products not currently manufac7 tured in the United States, including ingots, wafers, 

8 or cells. 

9 (3) Developing and deploying educational and 

10 skills training curricula needed to support the solar 

11 industry and ensure the United States can build and 

12 maintain a trusted and predictable talent pipeline 

13 for the manufacturing of solar products in the 

14 United States. 

Æ 


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