WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), on Thursday applauded the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) for nullifying tariffs the Trump administration put in place that threatened the U.S. newspaper industry. Last week, Murphy joined a letter led by U.S. Representative Joe Courtney (CT-2) to U.S. International Trade Commission chairman David Johanson, urging him to eliminate all tariffs imposed by the U.S. Department of Commerce on uncoated groundwood paper, or newsprint, from Canada. On Wednesday, the ITC has determined that the U.S. paper industry is not harmed or threatened by imports from Canada, and unanimously nullified the existing tariffs.

“These tariffs would have hurt the bottom-line of newspapers. It’s really important for newspapers to be able to get their message out, and it’s not good for readers if the cost of their papers go up. I was happy to help,” said Murphy. 

Murphy is a co-sponsor of the bipartisan PRINT Act introduced by U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), which would suspend these tariffs and require a study of the well-being of newsprint and publishing industry in the United States.

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