Aluminum Association: House Appropriations Committee’s funding bill includes vital aluminum programs

The Aluminum Association, Arlington, Virginia, says it is pleased with the House Committee on Appropriations for passing the fiscal 2021 Commerce, Justice, Science & Related Agencies appropriations bill. That bill will allow for funding for an aluminum import monitoring and analysis (AIMA) system that tthe Aluminum Association has advocated for.  

The committee’s report also includes language on the aluminum industry’s concerns about the Section 232 exclusion process, asking the Department of Commerce to “improve its efforts to ensure that exclusion volumes are not unnecessarily disproportionate to historic import volumes.”

“I am especially pleased that [the bill] funds the Commerce Department’s new aluminum imports monitoring program," ranking subcommittee member and Congressional Aluminum Caucus Rep. Robert Aderholt said during the debate. "I applaud President Trump's attention to this serious issue of foreign actors such as the Chinese as they are dumping subsidized aluminum into the U.S. market. In order to deploy this important program effectively, I urge the department to consult with the full value chain of the aluminum industry to ensure the program protects businesses and workers, such as those in the district I represent in Alabama.”

“We appreciate the committee’s leadership on these issues as a vital step to ensuring strong trade enforcement and a level-playing field for U.S. aluminum companies and workers,” Tom Dobbins, president and CEO of the Aluminum Association says. “We look forward to working closely with the Commerce Department to launch a new aluminum import monitoring system that serves the entire value chain of the aluminum industry in the United States, and to seeing reforms enacted to the Section 232 exclusion process.”

Now, the bill moves onto the full House for consideration, which is expected later this month. After that, it will move onto the Senate in the fall.