(Reuters) – U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Wednesday said she had no discretion to influence her department’s investigation into tariff-dodging by Chinese solar panel producers but committed to moving quickly to complete the probe.
“I personally am not, I don’t have discretion or ability to weigh in on their fact-finding process,” Raimondo said at a Senate budget hearing.
She added, however, that the department was unlikely to impose tariffs of 200% as many in the solar development industry have worried could happen.
“It is true Commerce would be permitted to impose a tariff at that excessive level,” she said. “That is exceedingly unlikely.”
(Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Chris Reese and Sandra Maler)
