Trump’s tariffs opened the door. Now Congress must end China’s trade privileges
As the Trump Administration marks its "First 100 Days" milestone with a renewed focus on U.S.-China trade policy, House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar is urging Congress to take decisive legislative action to secure America's economic future.
In a new op-ed in the Washington Examiner, Chairman Moolenaar praises President Trump’s leadership in standing up to China through bold tariff action. He emphasizes that executive action alone is not enough to ensure lasting change and calls on Congress to lock in permanent reforms by ending China's Most Favored Nation (MFN) status and codifying a durable, strategic tariff framework into law.
"President Trump opened the door. Now Congress must finish the job," said Moolenaar. "We need bipartisan legislation that puts America first—not just today, but for generations to come."
Chairman Moolenaar highlights the Restoring Trade Fairness Act, bipartisan legislation he introduced with Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY), as the pathway forward. The bill would:
- End China’s MFN status once and for all
- Create a separate tariff column for Chinese imports
- Impose tariffs of up to 100% on critical industries like semiconductors and defense-related technology
- Set a 35% baseline tariff on other Chinese goods
- Reinvest tariff revenue to rebuild America’s industrial base and strengthen national security
This approach closely aligns with the tiered tariff strategy recently reported by the Wall Street Journal and mirrors emerging discussions within the Trump administration.
At a time when economic security, China policy, and supply chain independence are again front and center, Moolenaar argues that principled congressional action is urgently needed.
"China’s weaponization of trade is no longer hypothetical—it’s an imminent threat to America’s industrial base, national defense, and way of life. Free trade must be earned by free nations that play by the rules, not given away to authoritarian regimes that exploit our openness," said Chairman Moolenaar.
Chairman Moolenaar’s message is clear: The time to act is now.