Vice Chairman of Congressional Steel Caucus

Congressman Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, is calling on the top executive at BP to end the lockout at its Whiting Refinery, which has kept some 800 union workers from their jobs for more than two weeks.

In a letter to BP CEO Meg O'Neill, Mrvan said he's concerned that the lockout instigated by BP is endangering public health and safety in and around the refinery, the Region's economic stability, as well as the nation’s energy security.

U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, sent a joint letter with Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Illinois, to BP CEO Meg O’Neill, urging the company to end the lockout at the Whiting refinery.

Congressmen, steel company CEOs, union leaders and others in the steel industry outlined threats they believe the steel industry continues to face at the Congressional Steel Caucus's State of the Steel Industry hearing in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.

Industry leaders and politicians from both parties discussed the importance of maintaining tariffs and other trade protections amid a global glut of steelmaking overcapacity.

The United Steelworkers Union announced they support the creation of a bill that would help increase veterans’ access to various resources, which was sponsored by an Indiana senator.

Sen. Jim Banks, R-Indiana, said in a statement, “I’m proud to join my colleagues and American steelworkers in backing this common-sense, bipartisan effort to ensure veterans can easily access information about their benefits and crisis resources in their workplaces,”

The United Steelworkers Union announced they support the creation of a bill that would help increase veterans’ access to various resources, which was sponsored by an Indiana senator.

“I’m proud to join my colleagues and American steelworkers in backing this common-sense, bipartisan effort to ensure veterans can easily access information about their benefits and crisis resources in their workplaces,” Sen. Jim Banks, R-Indiana, said in a statement.

The United States is now imposing tariffs of 50% on most foreign-made steel as well as reviewing additional targeted duties.

Steelmakers and the United Steelworkers union continue to pursue trade cases to ensure that foreign steelmakers are not circumventing existing tariffs by routing the steel through other countries, or violating international trade laws, such as dumping steel at less than market value.