WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) issued the following statement in support of a petition from members of the U.S. coated paper industry, including NewPage Corporation, asking the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission to impose duties to offset Chinese and Indonesian government subsidization and dumping of coated paper products:

“We must do everything possible to ensure companies like NewPage, and other pulp and paper producers in Michigan and across the country, are not hurt by unfair trade practices that jeopardize American jobs.  American paper companies and their employees can compete with anyone, provided the playing field is even.  In the face of the current economic downturn it is more important than ever that we enforce the trade agreements that are already in place to prevent more of the shutdowns and cutbacks that have cost thousands of paper workers their jobs in recent years.  We must ensure U.S. trade policy does not undermine American businesses and American workers.  That is why I am encouraging the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission to apply and enforce current trade agreements and put tariffs in place on coated paper products coming out of China and Indonesia to address the current imbalance in the market.” 

The petition was filed earlier today by Appleton Coated LLC, NewPage Corporation, Sappi Fine Paper North America and the United Steelworkers of America.

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