At a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, Chair Susan Collins urged U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to address the economic hardship that Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs have imposed on Maine’s lobster and blueberry industries. Collins emphasized the impact of increased equipment costs and the loss of a tariff exclusion process that previously offered relief.
Collins also raised concerns about the Administration’s trade framework with Vietnam, which maintains a 20% reciprocal tariff. She highlighted the potential consequences for L.L.Bean, a Maine-based company with manufacturing operations in Vietnam, and asked whether the Administration had finalized a list of products eligible for zero-tariff treatment.
Ambassador Greer acknowledged the concerns but clarified that Section 232 tariffs fall under the Commerce Department’s jurisdiction. He committed to relaying Collins’ feedback to Secretary Lutnick and noted that the Administration’s zero-tariff list includes goods not available domestically due to geological or climatic limitations. Collins has also submitted formal letters to the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture requesting targeted relief and disaster assistance for Maine producers.