WASHINGTON: The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) applauded today’s 240-190 House of Representatives vote to approve customs legislation enhancing U.S. trade laws, which includes specific improvements strongly supported by the steel industry to provide more effective remedies against imports that are dumped or subsidized. The Institute says steel imports have reached historic levels in the past few years, due in large part to unfair trade practices.
“Passage of this bill today is a tremendous win for the steel industry, and a critical step in helping mitigate the harm from the surge in unfair imports that has severely impacted the American steel industry. The provisions will help ensure that the antidumping and countervailing duty laws remain effective tools for U.S. companies and workers to combat foreign unfair trade practices. If the American steel industry is to regain its pre-recession strength then the government must not let trade cheaters off the hook. Today’s customs enforcement bill stands up for American workers whose jobs are put at risk by global competitors who skirt trade laws,’ said Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO of AISI.
“We are grateful to many Members of Congress for working with the steel industry on this. We particularly appreciate the work of the Steel Caucus for securing a commitment from House leadership to include these provisions in the customs bill and for introducing the trade remedy legislation in the House,” Gibson said, noting that a House and Senate Conference must now meet to work out other differences in the customs bills passed by the two chambers.
