Washington, D.C. — More organizations in the steel industry are putting their support behind Rep. Mike Bost’s (IL-12) bipartisan American Trade Enforcement Effectiveness Act, which streamlines the process for addressing unfair dumping of foreign products into U.S. markets. Nucor Steel, the Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports, U.S. Steel, the Steel Manufactures Association, the American Iron and Steel Institute, and the Alliance for American Manufacturing have all issued statements in support of Bost’s bill, H.R. 2523:
“Our trade laws are the best defense we have against these unfair practices,” said John Ferriola, Chairman, CEO and President of Nucor Steel. “The American Trade Enforcement Effectiveness Act would strengthen our trade laws significantly while allowing the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission (ITC) to use their resources more significantly.”
“Our 47 member companies and 35,000 employees nationwide express our support for the American Trade Enforcement Effectiveness Act,” said Tamara L. Browne, Director of Government Affairs for the Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports. “This legislation includes provisions that will ensure that our trade remedy laws remain strong and effective for our industry and others who rely on these as tools to challenge unfair trade.”
“Foreign producer market share has risen dramatically within the past 5 years as a result of a constant, unrelenting assault of unfairly traded goods entering our market,” said Mario Longi, President and CEO of the United States Steel Corporation. “If this cycle is not broken, foreign producers will seize control of the American steel market within a decade. “Rep. Mike Bost is our powerful voice in Congress and United States Steel Corporation and all of our employees in Illinois and throughout the country are grateful for all your efforts in moving the Trade Remedies provisions forward.”
“It is absolutely critical that our nation’s trade laws are able to confront the realities of global trade,” said Phillip K. Bell, President of the Steel Manufacturers Association. “Without effective, efficient remedies, the U.S. steel industry will continue to lose jobs as it is subjected to the unfair trade practices of some nations. SMA wishes to thank Rep. Bost for his efforts to modernize U.S. trade enforcement provisions.”
“Congressman Bost understands that the U.S. trade remedy laws are the only means by which domestic industry can mitigate the harm from record levels of unfair steel imports,” said Thomas J. Gibson, President and CEO of American Iron and Steel Institute. “This legislation stands up for American workers whose jobs are put at risk by global competitors who skirt trade laws. The legislation parallels legislation that has passed the Senate by a strong bipartisan majority and is supported by the Administration. The improvements in our trade laws proposed by Rep. Bost would go a long way in promoting more fair competition for the U.S. steel industry and its workers, and we are grateful for his leadership.”
“This important bipartisan legislation would ensure that the Department of Commerce uses appropriate information to make a well-informed decision on the extent of cheating,” said Scott N. Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing. “And, it modernizes the ‘injury’ standard used by the ITC that timely determinations can be made before irreparable harm in the form of plant closures and layoffs occurs.”
Reps. Mike Bost and Rodney Davis introduced the American Trade Enforcement Effectiveness Act on May 21, 2015. The bill currently has 33 bipartisan cosponsors.