The U.S. Senate passed a bill aimed at curbing cheap imports from China that was sponsored by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, according to the Columbus Dispatch. The bill passed easily with a vote of 63-35.
Ohio's other Senator, Republican Rob Portman, also voted in favor of the bill. Although it's unclear when the U.S. House of Representatives may have the chance to act on the bill, as House Speaker John Boehner, R-West Chester, called the bill "dangerous" and House Majority Whip Eric Cantor said the bill will not be put for a vote until President Barack Obama takes a position on the bill, according to the Dispatch.
Brown says the bill is a key part of his plan to help boost Ohio's manufacturers that have been hit hard during the recession and the auto industry downturn.
"There are always people who don't want to stand up to China, and I think they are, frankly, undercutting our ability to stop the hemorrhaging on manufacturing jobs. That's their decision to make," Brown was quoted as saying from the floor. "But I am struck by how some of my colleagues dismiss this legislation as a message bill. This isn't a message bill. This is legislation finally standing up to the Chinese."
The manufacturing industry is vital to the Dayton region, which has more than 100,000 manufacturing jobs and hundreds of small businesses that do rely on sales to larger manufacturers.
