Washington (April 16, 2026) – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) helped save 350 Louisiana jobs by successfully pushing for rail tank cars to be included in the Section 232 tariff list. Thanks to President Trump, there will be a 25 percent tariff on imported tank cars, preventing foreign manufacturers from undercutting American prices and protecting jobs at the Union Tank Car Company’s facility in Alexandria, which is the last remaining plant producing these railcars in the United States.
“This is a win for Louisiana and for our country,”said Dr. Cassidy. “We’re keeping 350 Louisiana jobs here at home while making sure America is still building the equipment we depend upon.”
“The decision to include tank cars under Section 232 underscores the strategic importance of domestic tank car manufacturing and sustaining a skilled workforce in Louisiana. We appreciated Senator Cassidy’s visit to our Alexandria facility and value the strong partnership with his office and the White House. These policies help ensure that critical infrastructure, like tank cars, continues to be manufactured in America,” said Randy McDougal, General Manager, UTLX Manufacturing.
Background
Over the past two decades, U.S. tank car production declined from nearly 100 percent of the market to roughly one-third, with production increasingly shifting to Mexico. Cassidy engaged with the U.S. Department of Commerce to ensure that this vulnerable domestic industry was not undercut by unfair foreign competition—particularly from Mexico.
In August, Cassidy met with UTLX employees and toured their Alexandria plant.
