Today, the American Medical Manufacturers Association (AMMA), representing domestic makers of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies, urged Congress to support a new bill from U.S. Rep. John Moolenar to take drastic actions to hold China accountable for its unfair trade practices.

AMMA Executive Director Eric Axel said, “For far too long, Chinese-made masks, syringes, gloves, and other critical supplies have flooded the US below market rates, undercutting our domestic manufacturing base and national resilience. Empowering ‘Made in the USA’ isn’t just patriotic—it’s practical and, in some cases, the law. Moolenaar’s bill is a clarion call to put American workers and our great manufacturers first and keep China out of our critical supply chain.”

The American Medical Manufacturing Association (AMMA) fully endorses Representative Moolenaar’s bill to end favored trade relations with China. This legislation represents a necessary shift toward an “America First” approach to manufacturing that prioritizes our workers, strengthens our economy, and protects our nation’s health and security.

For years, we’ve seen American jobs shipped to China while public policy and market choices damaged our domestic manufacturing base. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed just how dangerous this dependency is, as frontline healthcare workers struggled to get basic protective gear and essential medical supplies.

Axel added, “The Communist Party of China’s control over critical PPE not only jeopardized American lives but made clear that a nation guided by unfair competitive practices and seizing global power is no place to source our life-saving equipment.” 

Moolenaar’s bill creates a fair playing field for American manufacturers, empowering us to bring jobs home, restore our industrial strength, and support American workers. This policy implements gradual but significant tariffs on Chinese imports.

This bill’s provision to strip de minimis treatment for low-value imports from China is long overdue. The policy, rife with proven abuses, has allowed Chinese goods to slip into the U.S. without proper inspection and fees, giving the CCP an unfair advantage while undermining American quality standards. AMMA has long called for reforming this practice.

AMMA believes this bill is a boon for American workers and national security. We urge Congress to support this legislation and send it to the President. It will help secure our supply chain and protect our economy by prioritizing our country’s and workers’ needs. It’s time to bring critical manufacturing home and prioritize America’s health, jobs, and independence over China’s profits.