the Middle East, and other foreign countries flooding the global marketplace with unfairly traded aluminum. With plants across America and in our state set to close, that would have been devastating for South Carolina families.
The U.S. government took decisive action by imposing the Section 232 aluminum tariffs, which imposed a 10 % tariff on all foreign aluminum to save American jobs. Under President Biden’s leadership, the Section 232 aluminum tariffs were cemented into law and strengthened over time.
In fact, South Carolinians can see the benefits of the Section 232 program right here in our backyard. Century Aluminum Mt. Holly is home to America’s newest and most efficient aluminum smelter. What does that mean for our economy? $500 million of economic growth and a direct path for African American workers to reach the middle class; however, the benefits do not stop there. The aluminum produced at this plant is an essential input for electric vehicles, medical equipment, and military applications as the U.S. works to strengthen domestic supply chains and secure America’s green future.
Since the Section 232 program became law, America’s aluminum production has increased by 60 % , and plants like Century Aluminum Mt. Holly are creating new jobs that strengthen South Carolina. In recent years, the Section 232 tariffs have enabled the Mt. Holly plant to increase production by 50 % , bringing the facility to 7 5 % of overall production capacity. With
