Rounds Statement on Decision to Block Proposed Tariffs on Newsprint

PIERRE—U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) stopped the proposed tariffs on Canadian newsprint. Earlier this year, Rounds joined Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) in a letter to the ITC urging the organization to oppose these tariffs.

“We support the ITC’s decision to block tariffs on newsprint imported from Canada, which many of South Dakota’s local newspapers rely on to print their publications,” said Rounds. “These tariffs would have dramatically increased the cost of printing newspapers, having a significant impact on our rural newspapers in particular. I thank the South Dakota Newspaper Association and the many daily and weekly papers in South Dakota for their advocacy on this issue. Our local newspapers play an important role in keeping the citizens of our communities connected with one another. “

Rounds cosponsored S. 2835, the Protecting Rational Incentives in Newsprint Trade (PRINT) Act of 2018. This legislation, introduced by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine), would have suspended the import taxes on uncoated groundwood paper while the Department of Commerce examined the effects of tariffs on the publishing and printing industry.

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