2 Western senators want to repeal Trump's solar tariffs

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN, Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Two U.S. senators from western states want to repeal President Donald Trump's tariffs on imported solar panels, saying the higher taxes on foreign producers are jeopardizing jobs in the U.S.
Republican Dean Heller of Nevada and Democrat Martin Heinrich of New Mexico are introducing legislation Thursday that calls for duties and tariffs to revert to previous rates and to allow for companies affected by the tariff hike to seek reimbursements.
The senators say the higher tariffs are stifling investment in the domestic solar market.
The Trump administration has argued that U.S. manufacturers were being crushed by an influx of cheap solar cells and modules from China and moved in January to impose higher taxes on imported panels. China went from producing 7 percent of the world's solar cells in 2005 to nearly 70 percent last year.