Unless the tariff exemption is renewed, PPE imported from China will be charged double the current tariff rate, "resulting in significant price increases for American workers, families, and communities still fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Today marks day 35 of President Biden’s Mask Challenge, and the tariffs under reproach are slated to double on day 70 of the challenge".
 
“Throughout the pandemic, our members have worked night and day to deliver personal protective equipment to the American people. This involved repurposing factories and supply chains to meet this new found need. Unfortunately, many of the barriers they faced early on, such as high tariffs on finished products and the materials needed to manufacture PPE domestically, continue to hamper these efforts. As Americans take on the President’s 100-day mask challenge, it is critical that the government remove these barriers that make it more difficult to follow public health guidelines”, stated Steve Lamar, President and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association.
 
The industry also requested that the President direct the Office of the US Trade Representative to reinstate the Section 301 product exclusion process, which provides the opportunity for American businesses to apply for relief from the tariffs that have been placed on imports from China. The AAFA also urged the US government to reinstate previously expired tariff exclusions.