USITC: Washing Machine Imports Hurting U.S. Manufacturers

Increased imports of foreign-made washing machines into the U.S. are causing serious injury to the domestic industry, said the U.S. International Trade Commission in an Oct. 5 determination.

Under Section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974, the commission voted 4-0 in the global safeguard investigation that was prompted by a petition from Whirlpool Corp. earlier this year. Under Section 202, the commission must also make determinations regarding the imports of the product from countries with which the U.S. has free trade agreements, such as NAFTA. Chairman Schmidtlein, Vice Chairman Johanson, and Commissioners Williamson and Broadbent made negative findings with respect to imports from Canada and Mexico and all other FTA countries.