Proposed AD Duties on Mattresses Harm Hospitals Fighting COVID-19, Importer Says
Recently requested antidumping duties on mattresses from seven countries would “needlessly” raise the cost to U.S. companies and hospitals fighting the COVID-19 pandemic “at the worst possible time,” said Ashley Furniture, an importer and domestic manufacturer of mattresses, in comments to the Commerce Department opposing the initiation of any AD duty investigations based on the petitions.
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Commerce is currently considering a domestic coalition’s March 31 request for new antidumping duty investigations on mattresses from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Serbia, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam, and new countervailing duties on mattresses from China (see 2004010039). But “if this petition were successful it would serve to materially frustrate the supply of mattresses when this critical product is most needed,” Ashley Furniture said in its comments, filed April 9.
Ashley also opposes the petition on the grounds that the majority of domestic manufacturers do not support it, and says temporary policies on remote work during the pandemic deprive it of the opportunity to be fully heard in the proposed investigations.
“As hospitalization rates grow exponentially by the day, medical facilities across the country are desperate for supplies, equipment, and beds for patients. U.S. mattress producers and importers are working to meet the needs of the U.S. healthcare industry and supply the beds to accommodate this surge in patients,” Ashley said. “We are disheartened that in this dark moment, we face the prospect of further strain to the U.S. healthcare system in the form of the imposition of duties against beds for patients in hospitals,” it said.
The Committee to Support U.S. Trade Laws said in an April 13 press release that it opposes any suggestion that U.S. trade laws harm COVID-19 relief efforts. “CSUSTL opposes any suggestion that US unfair trade laws hamper the efforts of US industries and workers to address the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic,” the pro-trade remedy group said in the emailed press release, which does not specifically mention Ashley’s comments but cites an “attack on AD/CV cases amidst COVID.” CSUSTL President Mark Benedict subsequently said by email that the release comes “in response to the mattress case, as well as a general uptick in efforts to suspend and/or compromise the laws based on the COVID-19 crisis.”
“Antidumping and countervailing duty laws ensure that US workers and companies compete on a level playing field. They do not ban imports of any products,” CSUSTL said. “Antidumping and countervailing duties simply hold importers accountable for the level of dumping and subsidies that their foreign suppliers use to injurious effect on US industries,” it said. “Strong trade laws and enforcement ensure that US industries are well positioned to assist with COVID-19 response and provide employment to thousands of US workers at a time when every job is critical.”
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of Ashley’s comments or the CSUSTL release.