By David Shepardson and David Lawder
WASHINGTON, July 6 (Reuters) - A group of 22 Democratic state attorneys general on Monday opposed the Trump administration’s proposed tariffs of up to 12.5% on 59 countries and the European Union over allegations they failed to curb trade in goods made with forced labor.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta and others called the tariffs unlawful, arguing the levies will make goods more expensive "and will continue the economic devastation that prior tariffs have
caused." They called the move a pretext to replace tariffs that were invalidated by the U.S. Supreme Court.
USTR declined to comment on the AGs' letter, citing a policy of not commenting on ongoing trade investigations.
The proposal would help rebuild U.S. President Donald Trump's emergency tariffs, struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in February.
The letter — also signed by the AGs of Arizona, Michigan, Illinois, Virginia, Colorado, North Carolina, New York and New Jersey — comes as the U.S. Trade Representative's Office on Tuesday is set to launch a three-day public hearing on the proposed tariffs of 10% on 16 economies, including the European Union, and 12.5% on 44 other countries.
The AGs said USTR is abusing authority under "Section 301" in an attempt "to paper over the administration’s predetermined sweeping tariffs on nearly all imports to the United States."
"The record does not support imposition of these sweeping blanket tariffs to curb the worldwide problem of forced labor in international trade; instead, the USTR should work collaboratively and effectively with countries to reduce forced labor, and trading in goods made with forced labor, by other means," they said.
USTR said the tariffs on the 60 economies will cover 99.4% of goods imported to the United States.
"There is no link between forced labor goods and the tariffs imposed," the state AGs said, calling the government report rushed and inconsistent with prior investigations under Section 301.
The report cites a Labor Department publication highlighting three goods produced with forced labor, including frozen beef from Brazil.
The state AGs noted USTR proposes to exempt many beef products from the tariffs, including frozen beef.
USTR lists "exemptions by product, not country, which similarly belies the notion that the tariffs are targeted in any way to change behavior."
(Reporting by David Shepardson and David Lawder; Editing by Sonali Paul)
