U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President and Head of International Affairs Myron Brilliant issued the following statement today in response to trade actions by the White House relating to tariffs on imports of Canadian aluminum and an executive order on medical supplies:

“Today more than ever, American businesses of all sizes depend on trade as an engine of growth and job creation. However, the administration’s move to re-impose tariffs on aluminum from Canada is a step in the wrong direction.

“These tariffs will raise costs for American manufacturers, are opposed by most U.S. aluminum producers, and will draw retaliation against U.S. exports — just as they did before. We urge the administration to reconsider this move.

“On today’s executive order on government purchases of medical supplies, careful implementation will be key to avoid driving up prices while strengthening supply chain security. We are encouraged that the Food and Drug Administration will be empowered to work with industry to establish the scope of covered products.

“Americans benefit from being able to procure medical products from a wide variety of domestic and international sources, and while shortages of a limited range of products must be addressed, different solutions are needed for different products. A geographically diverse array of suppliers, a robust national stockpile program, and tailored solutions to unique market challenges — as in the case of antibiotics — all strengthen the security of our supply chains.

“Further, we must take care to uphold commitments we’ve made to our allies to keep markets open; otherwise, foreign retaliation will hit U.S. exports and jobs. The Chamber looks forward to working closely with FDA and other agencies to address these challenges.”