Proclamation 10406-Adjusting Imports of Steel Into the United States
Issued 2022-05-31 by Joseph R. Biden Jr.
Plain-English Overview
AI-generated summary explaining what this action does, who it affects, and why it matters
Proclamation 10406 adjusts the tariff treatment of steel imports from the United Kingdom into the United States, modifying the Section 232 national security tariff structure. The proclamation reflects an agreement reached with the UK to replace the blanket Section 232 steel tariff with an alternative arrangement — similar to agreements reached with the EU and Japan — that the administration determined adequately addressed national security concerns while facilitating trade. The specific terms establish quotas or other conditions under which UK steel can enter the U.S. market at reduced tariff rates.
The proclamation directly affects UK steel producers, U.S. importers of UK steel, and downstream U.S. manufacturers that use steel as an input. The UK government and British steel industry are key stakeholders. Changes to tariff levels affect steel prices, manufacturing competitiveness, and the broader U.S.-UK trade relationship.
The legal authority rests on Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. The use of Section 232 for broad steel tariffs has been debated in courts and among trade scholars, though the executive branch retains significant discretion in determining how those tariffs are modified or resolved through bilateral arrangements.
AI-generated summary for educational purposes
Constitutional Analysis
How this action fits (or doesn't) within Article II authority and existing law
This proclamation ("Proclamation 10406-Adjusting Imports of Steel Into the United States") imposes or modifies tariffs. The stated rationale is: "the threatened impairment to the national security posed by imports of steel articles and derivative steel articles from the UK." Under Article I, Section 8, Congress holds the power to "regulate Commerce with foreign Nations" and to "lay and collect Duties." However, Congress has delegated significant tariff authority to the President through statutes like Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act (national security tariffs) and Section 301 of the Trade Act (unfair trade practices).
The constitutional question is the scope of that delegation. Courts have historically upheld broad presidential trade actions under these statutes. But sweeping tariff measures that effectively rewrite trade policy — affecting billions in commerce — raise non-delegation doctrine concerns. When the executive branch makes economic policy of this magnitude unilaterally, it sits at the edge of the separation of powers.
Official Summary
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