Congressional Steel Caucus Urges President to Complete Steel Imports Investigation

Washington, D.C. – Congressional Steel Caucus Co-Chairman Mike Bost (R-IL), Co-Chairman Rick Crawford (R-AR), and Vice-Chairman Peter J. Visclosky (D-IN), along with 65 other members of the Caucus, sent a letter to the President expressing support for the Section 232 investigation assessing the impact of steel imports on our national security. 

Specifically, the letter states that the investigation must be completed as soon as possible because each day that passes is another day that the domestic steel industry faces an onslaught of imports and the deeply harmful effects of unfair trade practices. The letter strongly urges the administration to release the report as expeditiously as possible so that action can be taken to protect the American steel industry and defend America’s national security.

Complete list of cosigners and full text of the letter is available below.

Dear Mr. President:

 We write as members of the Congressional Steel Caucus to reiterate our support for the Section 232 investigation assessing the impact of steel imports on our national security.  We are grateful that you have undertaken this critically important investigation since it is imperative that our nation’s military, energy, and other critical infrastructure continue to be built with American steel.  We appreciate your dedication to the well-being of the domestic steel industry, and encourage the Section 232 report to be released as expeditiously as possible.

 American steel is used in aircraft carriers, armored vehicles, submarines, refineries, power plants, highways, bridges, dams, reservoirs, and hospitals.  It is responsible for protecting our brave service members every single day and allows our military to respond to outside threats.  Without American steel, the Department of Defense would be forced to rely on foreign imports, which could become extremely dangerous during a national emergency or military conflict.  Therefore, a robust domestic steel industry is absolutely critical to our national security.

 As you highlighted when you initiated this investigation, and as the Steel Caucus well knows, the domestic industry has suffered greatly at the hands of global steel overcapacity and unfair trade.  Yet, our conventional trade laws, while offering some relief, have failed to keep up with these illicit, and indeed destructive, practices.  There are currently more than 700 million metric tons of global steel overcapacity, which amounts to more than eight times the output of all American steel producers.  Furthermore, this year, steel imports have been up 21 percent over the same period in 2016, and in September alone, the U.S. imported over 3 million tons of steel.  This continued crisis has caused layoffs and mill idling throughout the country, including in many of the communities we represent.  Action must be taken to stop this unfair trade so that American steelworkers can continue to make American steel that supports our military, critical infrastructure, and the livelihoods of innumerable American families.

 Each day that passes is another day that the domestic steel industry faces an onslaught of imports and the deeply harmful effects of unfair trade practices, which is why we believe the investigation must be completed as soon as possible.  We strongly urge your administration to release the report as expeditiously as possible so that action can be taken to protect the American steel industry and defend our national security.  

We thank you for your leadership in addressing the threats faced by the American steel industry, and we stand ready to continue to support this investigation and preserve the fundamental and strategic importance of our domestic steel industry to America’s national security.

 Sincerely,

 Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL)

Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR)

Rep. Peter J. Visclosky (D-IN)

Rep. Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL)

Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA)

Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH)

Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI)

Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT)

Rep. Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA)

Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL)

Rep. Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN)

Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL)

Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL)

Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA)

Rep. André Carson (D-IN)

Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA)

Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-SC)

Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN)

Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK)

Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH)

Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL)

Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL)

Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT)

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI)

Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA)

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY)

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)

Rep. Bill Flores (R-TX)

Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL)

Rep. Gene Green (D-TX)

Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS)

Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY)

Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC)

Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH)

Rep. Walter B. Jones (R-NC)

Rep. David P. Joyce (R-OH)

Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)

Rep. John Katko (R-NY)

Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA)

Rep. Robin L. Kelly (D-IL)

Rep. Daniel T. Kildee (D-MI)

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL)

Rep. Daniel W. Lipinski (D-IL)

Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA)

Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA)

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)

Rep. David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-WV)

Rep. James P. McGovern (D-MA)

Rep. Richard M. Nolan (D-MN)

Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ)

Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA)

Rep. Collin C. Peterson (D-MN)

Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-NC)

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI)

Rep. Keith J. Rothfus (R-PA)

Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL)

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH)

Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA)

Rep. Terri A. Sewell (D-AL)

Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL)

Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ)

Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH)

Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY)

Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA)

Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY)

Rep. Michael R. Turner (R-OH)

Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI)

Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN)

 

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