Protecting American Solar Jobs Act

Protecting American Solar Jobs Act

This bill amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to eliminate tariffs placed on specified imported solar power technology (i.e., crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells). The bill applies retroactively to February 7, 2018.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5571 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5571

To amend subchapter III of chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule 
  of the United States to repeal increases in duty and a tariff-rate 
quota on certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 18, 2018

 Ms. Rosen (for herself, Mr. Sanford, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Norman, and Mr. 
   Knight) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend subchapter III of chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule 
  of the United States to repeal increases in duty and a tariff-rate 
quota on certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting American Solar Jobs 
Act''.

SEC. 2. REPEAL OF INCREASES IN DUTY AND A TARIFF-RATE QUOTA ON CERTAIN 
              CRYSTALLINE SILICON PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to the National Solar Jobs Census, the solar 
        workforce has increased by 168 percent in the past seven years, 
        from about 93,000 jobs in 2010 to over 250,000 jobs in 2017.
            (2) Over 80 percent of solar jobs in the United States are 
        in the installation, sales, distribution, and project 
        development sectors, all of which heavily depend on the 
        availability of affordable solar panels.
            (3) In 2016, solar was the single largest source of new 
        electric generating capacity in the United States, and solar 
        photovoltaic installers was the fastest growing occupation.
            (4) According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, 
        the 30-percent tariff on imported solar cells and panels will 
        cause the loss of about 23,000 American jobs in 2018, as well 
        as the delay or cancellation of billions of dollars of 
        investments in solar energy.
            (5) According to GTM Research, this tariff will cause a net 
        reduction of around 11 percent in United States solar 
        installations from 2018 to 2022--reducing installations from an 
        estimated 68.9 gigawatts to 61.3 gigawatts over the next five 
        years.
    (b) In General.--Subchapter III of chapter 99 of the Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States is amended--
            (1) by striking U.S. Note 18; and
            (2) by striking--
                    (A) subheadings 9903.45.21 and 9903.45.22, and the 
                superior text to such subheadings; and
                    (B) subheading 9903.45.25.
    (c) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--The amendments made by this section shall 
        take effect as of February 7, 2018.
            (2) Retroactive application for certain liquidations and 
        reliquidations.--
                    (A) In general.--Notwithstanding section 514 of the 
                Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1514) or any other 
                provision of law and subject to subparagraph (B), any 
                entry of an article classified under subheading 
                9903.45.21, 9903.45.22, or 9903.45.25 of the Harmonized 
                Tariff Schedule of the United States, that--
                            (i) was made--
                                    (I) after February 7, 2018; and
                                    (II) before the date of the 
                                enactment of this Act; and
                            (ii) to which a lower rate of duty would be 
                        applicable if the entry were made after such 
                        date of enactment,
                shall be liquidated or reliquidated as though such 
                entry occurred on such date of enactment.
                    (B) Requests.--A liquidation or reliquidation may 
                be made under subparagraph (A) with respect to an entry 
                only if a request therefor is filed with U.S. Customs 
                and Border Protection not later than 180 days after the 
                date of the enactment of this Act that contains 
                sufficient information to enable U.S. Customs and 
                Border Protection--
                            (i) to locate the entry; or
                            (ii) to reconstruct the entry if it cannot 
                        be located.
                    (C) Payment of amounts owed.--Any amounts owed by 
                the United States pursuant to the liquidation or 
                reliquidation of an entry of an article under 
                subparagraph (A) shall be paid, without interest, not 
                later than 90 days after the date of the liquidation or 
                reliquidation (as the case may be).
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