Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi Hosts Labor Roundtable on U.S.–China Trade, Worker Protections, and Industrial Competitiveness
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), convened a labor roundtable in the Cannon House Office Building with leaders from major labor organizations to discuss the challenges facing American workers and unionized industries in the face of unfair Chinese trade practices. Members of the Select Committee, alongside Representatives from the United Steelworkers (USW), United Auto Workers (UAW), International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), AFL-CIO, and Wessel Group, joined Congressman Krishnamoorthi to share perspectives on trade enforcement, shipbuilding, reciprocity in trade policy, critical minerals, and ways to improve the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement in its upcoming renewal.
“Workers are the backbone of our economy and the muscle behind our competition with the CCP,” said Congressman Krishnamoorthi. “I’m deeply grateful to our labor partners for joining today’s roundtable and sharing their expertise. When China undercuts our workers through overcapacity, subsidies, or forced labor, they aren’t just cheating in trade—they’re threatening the foundation of American industry. By working together, we can ensure our trade laws are enforced, our industries are strengthened, and our workers are never left behind.”
During the discussion, participants highlighted the importance of rebuilding the U.S. shipbuilding industry, creating a level playing field, investing in the American workforce, and ensuring that U.S. trade agreements – like the USMCA – cannot be exploited as backdoors for Chinese goods. Congressman Krishnamoorthi, along with several representatives from the participating unions, also emphasized his bipartisan Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes (PAIL) Act (H.R. 1869), which would create a Department of Justice task force to prosecute trade fraud and hold repeat offenders accountable.