US Senate Votes to Restore Solar Tariffs Up to 254% in Biden Rebuke
- Congress lacks supermajority needed to overcome Biden veto
- Debate fueled by fears about reliance on Chinese imports
Technicians perform a final inspection of a solar panels at a manufacturing facility in Vung Tau, Vietnam.
Photographer: Yen Duong/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The US Senate voted Wednesday to reinstate tariffs as high as 254% on solar panels from Southeast Asia, underscoring a deep clash over continued US reliance on foreign imports to drive the nation’s renewable-energy development.
With the Senate’s 56-41 vote, the measure now heads to President Joe Biden, who has vowed to veto it and preserve the tariff moratorium he established that runs through early June 2024. Still, nine Democrats joined Republicans in voting to end that reprieve, highlighting continued bipartisan wariness of the administration’s plan to insulate US renewable development from trade risks.