House Committee Vote to Repeal Solar Tariff Moratorium Undermines Business Certainty and American Energy Security

WASHINGTON D.C. — Today the House Ways and Means Committee approved legislation to repeal the Biden administration’s June 2022 proclamation to provide a two-year moratorium for new solar tariffs. President Biden issued this executive action in response to a near complete shutdown of solar deployment in the United States caused by the Auxin Solar tariff investigation. 

The legislation invokes the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to repeal the moratorium, and now moves toward a vote by the full House of Representatives. 

Following is a statement from Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA): 

“The Ways and Means Committee just took a hammer to business certainty and American energy independence. This use of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) is in direct conflict with the bipartisan goal of growing America’s domestic solar manufacturing industry. In fact, analysis shows that forcing American companies to pay $1 billion in retroactive duties would eliminate 30,000 good-paying jobs, including 4,000 manufacturing jobs. 

“Congress just passed a historic clean energy law that is sparking more manufacturing investments than 12 years of tariffs ever could. New investments announced since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will bring America’s solar module manufacturing capacity to 47 gigawatts, more than five times what we could produce in 2022. However, terminating the president’s two-year reprieve from the meritless Auxin Solar tariffs will kill demand for these investments and spark upheaval in the solar industry. 

“The United States currently lacks the capacity to produce solar panels and cells in adequate volumes to meet domestic demand. The two-year duty moratorium allows planned solar installations to move forward while we scale domestic manufacturing in the near-term. This strategic approach protects existing jobs while new ones are added, but it also helps sustain the robust environmental, national security and job-creating benefits offered by U.S. solar deployment. 

“The Committee’s vote will end up hurting businesses that are trying to create jobs and support our communities. When the bill comes to the House floor, we hope lawmakers vote to protect American workers and support American manufacturing.”

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About SEIA®: 

The Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA) is leading the transformation to a clean energy economy, creating the framework for solar to achieve 30% of U.S. electricity generation by 2030. SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies and other strategic partners to fight for policies that create jobs in every community and shape fair market rules that promote competition and the growth of reliable, low-cost solar power. Founded in 1974, SEIA is the national trade association for the solar and solar + storage industries, building a comprehensive vision for the Solar+ Decade through research, education and advocacy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org and follow @SEIA on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. 

Media Contact: 

Morgan Lyons, SEIA’s Director of Communications, mlyons@seia.org (202) 556-2872