Economic Stimulus Package Stirs Ripples On The Hill

The economic anxiety fueling the stimulus package is starting to have ripple effects on Capitol Hill.

With the challenges facing U.S. business and workers increasing every week, its time to take legislative action against China, eight freshman Democratic senators declared in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

“China is by far the leading violator of international trade rules and its actions continue to harm American workers, industry, and manufacturing,” the senators said.

Among China’s sins: failure to enforce trade laws and prevent counterfeiting; lax food and other import safety; and insufficient efforts to correct its undervalued currency, which “continues to take jobs and wealth from the United States.”

“There is also strong evidence that the massive subsidies the Chinese government provides its producers gives them an unfair advantage in international trade,” the senators went on in their letter, signed by Jim Webb of Virginia, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Benjamin L. Cardin of Maryland, Robert P. Casey Jr. of Pennsylvania, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Jon Tester of Montana, and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.