Congressional Steel Caucus adds to tariffs discussion

The president and CEO of the Washington-based American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) has issued a statement thanking members of the Congressional Steel Caucus who sent a letter to President Joe Biden in late February in support of preserving tariffs on some imported steel products.

The letter joins one sent Feb. 14 by 13 U.S. senators to the U.S. Department of Commerce that specifically asks for an investigation into steel conduit shipped from Mexico to the U.S.

A news release from Indiana Representative of Indiana Rick Crawford, one of 37 members of the Congressional Steel Caucus who co-signed the letter, says the letter expresses “support for maintaining the Section 232 tariffs and quotas and requesting that U.S. trade remedy laws be updated to reflect modern challenges facing the steel industry.”

The letter reads in part, “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.”

Steel Caucus Chair Rick Crawford, an Arkansas representative, says, “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.”

In reaction to the letter, AISI President and CEO Kevin Dempsey’s statement says in part, “We are pleased and grateful that so many members of Congress have championed the American steel industry and our workers by supporting the preservation of the existing steel tariffs. We appreciate that the members of the Steel Caucus continue to recognize that the new investments American steelmakers are making and our global leadership in clean steel production would be at risk if the existing Section 232 program does not remain in place. We look forward to continuing our work with the Congressional Steel Caucus members to combat unfair trade and the global trade distortions in steel that continue to threaten the steel industry and our workers.”