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INSIGHTi
Escalating U.S. Tariffs: Timeline
Updated September 6, 2019
The trade practices of U.S. trading partners and the U.S. trade deficit are a focus of the Trump
Administration. Citing these and other concerns, the President has imposed tariff increases under three
U.S. laws:
(1) Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 (Table 1) on U.S. imports of washing machines
and solar products;
(2) Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (Table 2) on U.S. imports of steel
and aluminum, and potentially motor vehicles/parts and titanium sponge (the President
decided not to impose tariffs on uranium imports, after an investigation); and
(3) Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (Table 3) on U.S. imports from China.
Congress delegated aspects of its constitutional authority to regulate foreign commerce to the President
through these trade laws. These statutory authorities allow the President, based on agency investigations,
to take various actions, including imposing import restrictions to address specific concerns (see text box).
They have been used infrequently in the past two decades, in part due to the 1995 creation of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) and its enforceable dispute settlement system. Prior to this Administration,
U.S. import restrictions were last imposed under these trade laws in 1986 for Section 232, in 2001 for
Section 301, and in 2002 for Section 201. The President also proposed increasing tariffs on imports from
Mexico using authorities delegated by Congress under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act
(IEEPA), but subsequently suspended the proposed tariffs citing an agreement reached with Mexico
(Table 4). For information on retaliatory tariffs by U.S. trading partners, see CRS Insight IN10971,
Escalating U.S. Tariffs: Affected Trade.
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
IN10943
CRS INSIGHT
Prepared for Members and
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U.S. Laws Related To Trump Administration Trade Actions
Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974—Allows the President to impose temporary duties and other trade measures if
the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) determines a surge in imports is a substantial cause or threat of serious injury
to a U.S. industry.
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962—Allows the President to adjust imports if the Department of
Commerce finds certain products are imported in such quantities or under such circumstances as to threaten to impair U.S.
national security.
Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974—Allows the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to suspend trade
agreement concessions or impose import restrictions if it determines a U.S. trading partner is violating trade agreement
commitments or engaging in discriminatory or unreasonable practices that burden or restrict U.S. commerce.
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977—Allows the President to regulate the
importation of any property in which any foreign country or a national thereof has any interest if the President declares a
national emergency to deal with an unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in whole or substantial part outside
the United States, to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States.
Increasing U.S. tariffs or imposing other import restrictions through these laws potentially opens the
United States to complaints that it is violating its WTO and free trade agreement (FTA) commitments.
Several U.S. trading partners, including China and the European Union, have initiated dispute settlement
proceedings and imposed retaliatory tariffs in response. The retaliatory actions also raise questions with
regard to their adherence to WTO commitments, which the United States has raised at the WTO.
Timeline and Status of U.S. Trade Actions
The tables below provide a timeline of key events related to each trade action. In addition to tariffs, the
President has imposed quotas, or quantitative limits on U.S. imports of certain goods from specified
countries, as well as tariff-rate quotas (TRQs), for which one tariff applies up to a specific quantity or
value of imports and a higher tariff applies above that threshold.
Table 1. Section 201 Global Safeguard Investigations
5/17/2017—U.S. industry petition initiates ITC injury investigation on solar cells/modules.
6/5/2017—U.S. industry petition initiates ITC injury investigation on large residential
washers.
9/22/2017—ITC makes affirmative solar cells/modules injury determination.
10/5/2017—ITC makes affirmative large residential washers injury determination.
Key Dates
11/13/2017—ITC submits report and recommended action on solar cells/modules to
President.
12/4/2017—ITC submits report and recommended action on large residential washers to
President.
1/23/2018—President proclaims actions on solar cells/modules and large residential washers,
effective February 7, 2018.
8/7/2019—ITC releases its mid-term review on the safeguard on large residential washers.
Solar Cells: 4-year TRQ with 30% above quota tariff, descending 5% annually.
Solar Modules: 4-year 30% tariff, descending 5% annually.
U.S. Import
Large Residential Washers: 3-year TRQ, 20% in quota tariff descending 2% annually, 50%
Restriction
above quota tariff descending 5% annually.
Large Residential Washer Parts: 3-year TRQ, 50% above quota tariff, descending 5%
annually.
Canada excluded from the duties on washers. Certain developing countries excluded if they
Countries Affected
account for less than 3% individually or 9% col ectively of U.S. imports of solar cells or large
residential washers, respectively. All other countries included.
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Current Status
Effective February 7, 2018.
Table 2. Section 232 Steel, Aluminum, Auto, Uranium, and Titanium Sponge Investigations
4/2017—Commerce self-initiates investigations on U.S. steel (4/19) and aluminum (4/26)
imports.
1/2018—Commerce submits steel (1/11) and aluminum (1/17) investigation findings and
recommendations to President.
3/23/2018—United States imposes steel and aluminum duties. Temporary exemptions to
May 1 in place for certain U.S. security partners (later extended to June 1).
4/30/2018—President permanently exempts South Korea from steel duties, based on a
quota arrangement.
5/23/2018—Commerce self-initiates investigation on U.S. motor vehicle and parts imports.
5/31/2018—President permanently exempts Argentina and Brazil from steel duties, and
Argentina from aluminum duties, based on quota arrangements. Australia permanently
exempted from both duties without a quota.
7/18/2018—Commerce initiates investigation on U.S. uranium imports based on industry
Key Dates
petition.
2/17/2019—Commerce submits motor vehicle and parts investigation findings and
recommendations to President.
3/4/2019—Commerce initiates investigation on U.S. titanium sponge imports based on
industry petition.
4/16/2019—Commerce submits uranium investigation findings and recommendations to
President.
5/17/2019—President proclaims motor vehicle and parts imports a national security threat
and directs USTR to negotiate with European Union (EU), Japan, and others to resolve
threat.
5/19/2019—President exempts Canada and Mexico from steel and aluminum duties. Canada,
Mexico, and United States announce process for reinstating tariffs should imports surge.
7/12/2019—President does not concur with Commerce findings that uranium imports
threaten to impair national security, but establishes U.S. Nuclear Fuel Working Group to
develop recommendations to revive domestic industry.
Aluminum: 10% tariffs on specified list of aluminum imports, effective indefinitely.
U.S. Import
Steel: 25% tariffs on specified list of steel imports, effective indefinitely.
Restriction
Autos and Parts: No tariffs currently in effect, pending negotiations.
Aluminum: Argentina,* Australia, Canada, and Mexico exempted. All other countries included.
Steel: Argentina,* Australia, Brazil,* Canada, Mexico, and South Korea* exempted. All other
Countries Affected
countries included.
Autos and Parts: EU, Japan, and other countries “deemed necessary” targeted for negotiations.
(*) Quantitative import restrictions imposed in place of tariffs.
Aluminum: Tariffs effective March 23, 2018.
Steel: Tariffs effective March 23, 2018.
Autos and Parts: National security threat declared. Negotiations to resolve threat are ongoing
Current Status
with USTR to report to the President on their status within 180 days of May 17, 2019.
Uranium: President determined imports are not a national security threat.
Titanium Sponge: Investigation ongoing. Determination on national security threat pending.
(Retaliation also in effect, see CRS Insight IN10971, Escalating U.S. Tariffs: Affected Trade.)
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Table 3. Section 301 Investigation of China’s IP and Innovation Policies
8/14/2017—President directs USTR to consider investigation on China’s laws, policies,
practices, or actions affecting U.S. intellectual property and forced technology transfers.
3/22/2018—USTR releases Section 301 report and finds that China’s policies are
“unreasonable or discriminatory, and burden or restrict U.S. commerce.” President signs
memorandum proposing to: (1) implement tariffs on certain Chinese imports; (2) initiate a
WTO dispute settlement case against China’s discriminatory technology licensing; and (3)
propose new investment restrictions on Chinese efforts to acquire sensitive U.S. technology.
4/6/2018—USTR publishes proposed list of products to be subject to additional 25% tariff.
5/19/2018—United States and China release joint statement as initial negotiations held to
resolve U.S. concerns.
5/29/2018—President announces U.S. plan to proceed with Section 301 actions, including
25% tariff on $50 bil ion of U.S. imports.
6/15/2018—USTR releases two-stage plan to impose 25% tariffs on approximately $50
bil ion of Chinese imports.
6/18/2018—President directs USTR to propose additional list of imports (stage 3) valued at
$200 bil ion to be subject to 10% tariff if China retaliates against Section 301 tariffs.
7/6/2018—United States imposes stage 1 tariffs (25% tariff on $34 bil ion of U.S. imports).
8/23/2018—United States imposes stage 2 tariffs (25% tariff on $16 bil ion of U.S. imports).
9/24/2018—In response to Chinese retaliatory tariffs, United States imposes stage 3 tariffs
(10% tariffs on $200 bil ion of U.S. imports initially set to increase to 25% on January 1,
2019).
Key Dates
12/1/2018—President announces new negotiations with China to resolve U.S. concerns and
declares stage 3 tariffs wil remain at 10%.
5/5/2019—President tweets negotiations are moving too slowly, and plans to increase stage
3 tariffs to 25% and to prepare tariffs on remaining Chinese imports (stage 4).
5/10/2019—United States imposes stage 3 tariff increase to 25%.
5/17/2019—USTR publishes proposed stage 4 tariff list (up to 25% tariff on $300 bil ion of
U.S. imports).
6/18/2019—President Trump tweets that he plans to meet with President Xi during G-20
and resume staff-level talks with China.
8/1/2019—President Trump tweets that China has not fol owed through with commitments
to buy U.S. agricultural products and announces a 10% tariff on remaining U.S. imports from
China (stage 4) wil take effect September 1, 2019.
8/14/2019—USTR releases a two-part plan to impose 10% tariffs on approximately $300
bil ion of U.S. imports (stage 4). The first part (4A) wil take effect on September 1, 2019; the
second part (4B) wil take effect on December 15, 2019.
8/23/2019— In response to Chinese retaliatory tariffs, President Trump directs USTR to
further increase tariffs on approximately $550 bil ion worth of U.S. imports from China by
5%, raising stage 1-3 tariffs to 30% on October 1, 2019, and stage 4 tariffs to 15% on their
effective dates (September 1, 2019 – 4A, December 15, 2019 – 4B).
9/1/2019 – United States imposes stage 4A tariffs of 15%.
9/3/2019—USTR issues request for comments on proposed tariff increase from 25% to 30%
on stage 1-3 tariffs.
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Stage 1—25% import tariff on 818 U.S. imports (approx. $34 bil ion).
Proposed increase to 30% (pending).
Stage 2—25% import tariff on 279 U.S. imports (approx. $16 bil ion).
U.S. Import
Proposed increase to 30% (pending).
Restriction
Stage 3—25% import tariff on 5,733 U.S. imports (approx. $200 bil ion).
Proposed increase to 30% (pending).
Stage 4—15% import tariff on 3,796 U.S. imports (approx. $300 bil ion); 4A covers 3,242
products and 4B covers 554 products).
Countries Affected
China.
Stage 1—Effective July 6, 2018 (25%); proposed increase to take effect October 1, 2019 (30%).
Stage 2—Effective August 23, 2018 (25%); proposed increase to take effect October 1, 2019
(30%).
Stage 3—Effective September 24, 2018 (10%), May 10, 2019 or June 15, 2019 on products
Current Status
exported from China before May 10 (25%); proposed increase to take effect October 1, 2019
(30%).
Stage 4—Effective September 1, 2019 (15%, stage 4A) and proposed effective December 15,
2019 (15%, stage 4B).
(Retaliation also in effect, see CRS Insight IN10971, Escalating U.S. Tariffs: Affected Trade.)
Table 4. Proposed Tariffs on Mexico under IEEPA
5/30/2019—President announces intent to invoke IEEPA authorities to impose 5% tariff on
all imports from Mexico, starting June 10, 2019, and increasing by 5% monthly to 25% in
Key Dates
response to concerns over Mexico’s immigration policies affecting the United States.
6/7/2019—President tweets that the United States reached an agreement with Mexico (see
State Department announcement), suspending the proposed tariffs indefinitely.
U.S. Import
Proposed 5% import tariff on all U.S. imports from Mexico, increasing by 5% monthly to a
Restriction
maximum of 25% (proposed, approx. $346.5 bil ion).
Countries Affected
Mexico.
Current Status
Suspended indefinitely.
Author Information
Brock R. Williams, Coordinator
Keigh E. Hammond
Analyst in International Trade and Finance
Research Librarian
Disclaimer
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IN10943 · VERSION 15 · UPDATED