Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Mike Thompson urge Trump to drop tariffs on US wine

The lawmakers want the administration to ensure that any new trade agreements with China or Japan remove tariffs on U.S. wine.|
BILL SWINDELL
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, joined other lawmakers Tuesday urging the Trump administration to ensure that any new trade agreements with China or Japan remove tariffs on U.S. wine.

The two sent letters to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer calling on the Trump administration to “do all it can to support the international competitiveness of U.S. agriculture” in talks with China and Japan. They were joined by 17 other federal lawmakers.

They noted that tariffs on U.S. wine sold in China increased to 54% in June, up from 14% in March 2018 as Beijing retaliated in a trade war sparked by President Donald Trump. Japan has a 15% tariff on U.S. wine, though it was scheduled to be lowered under the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership. Trump pulled the United States out of the trade agreement.

“We urge you to ensure that any new agreements result in the removal of all tariffs, retaliatory or otherwise, on U.S. wine,” the letter states.

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