Congressional Steel Caucus calls for tariffs to be maintained
The Congressional Steel Caucus is calling for tariffs to be maintained to protect American steel jobs, including at the steel mills along the lakeshore in Northwest Indiana.
Congressional Steel Caucus Chairman Rick Crawford and Vice Chairman Frank J. Mrvan wrote a letter asking the administration to keep the Section 232 tariffs and subsequent quotas in place.
“We continue to support strong trade enforcement that will ensure a vibrant industry, competitive wages, and outstanding quality of life for our industry’s workers. We encourage the Biden Administration to continue to maintain the Section 232 tariffs and quotas, ensure strong trade remedy laws that address unfair trade practices, and protect our environment from high-emission foreign steel production,” the Congressional Steel Caucus said in the letter.
About 35 other members of the Congressional Steel Caucus co-signed the letter. The congressional representatives also asked for federal trade remedy laws to be modernized to address the current challenges the steel industry faces.
Finished steel imports rose by 11% last year, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. U.S. Steel ended up idling its tin operations at Gary Works and the United Steelworkers union filed a new trade case against tin imports.
“I thank Chairman Crawford and the Congressional Steel Caucus Members for joining this initiative to ensure that the voice of the dedicated workers and the steel industry is heard by the Administration. Steel is essential to the strength of our national economy and our national security, and I look forward to continuing to work with all of my colleagues and the Administration to ensure that our domestic steel industry is able to thrive in our global economy,” Mrvan said.
About 100 members of Congress from both parties belong to the Congressional Steel Caucus. They hail from places in the country that make steel like Northwest Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Arkansas, where mini-mills are located. They made the case that the domestic steel industry deserves to be protected.
“The Section 232 tariffs have been vital to reviving the American steel industry and reinforcing our national security. Our steel sector manufactures the high-quality product we rely on for our roads, buildings, and everything in-between, and does so sustainably. Supporting American steel means supporting our environment, our jobs, and our communities, and should be a priority for our nation’s leaders,” Crawford said.