WASHINGTON, D.C., June 24, 2026 — Common Sense America (CSA) President and Founder Steve Crim issued a statement following the conclusion of Section 301 investigations into the use of forced labor by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
“The USTR’s Section 301 investigations into forced labor have confirmed what American industry has warned for years. Cement importers are undercutting U.S. producers by sourcing cement from suppliers with substandard labor practices. American workers and manufacturers should not be forced to compete against foreign supply chains built on exploitation.”
“By proposing 12.5 percent tariffs on cement from economies such as the UAE, Algeria, Türkiye, Vietnam, and Egypt, the Administration has taken an important first step. However, this response does not match the scale of the threat posed by foreign countries like China that lack quality controls and threaten to push excess supply into our markets to the detriment of American workers.”
“State-sponsored overproduction is flooding global markets with cheap cement, eroding United States manufacturing and weakening our ability to build. The outcome of these investigations should mark the beginning of a wider, more aggressive strategy to address excess capacity and ensure that America’s foundations are built with fairly produced, American-made cement.”
About American Foundations
American Foundations, a project of Common Sense America, is committed to ensuring that our nation’s infrastructure is built on strong, reliable cement — made right here at home. Learn more at: strongamericanfoundations.org.