October
5, 2006
WASHINGTON
,
D.C.
– Congressman Joe
Knollenberg (R/MI-09), along with 50 of his colleagues
in the U.S. House, today sent a letter to the International
Trade Commission (ITC) requesting a change in procedure to
allow American manufacturers a place in its decision-making
process.
The
letter asks the ITC to consider the potential effects on
steel-consuming manufacturers – such as the auto industry
– when making decisions regarding tariffs on imported steel.
Currently during the tariff review process, the ITC
only considers the effects of tariffs on the steel producing
industry.
“American
manufactuerers have taken a back seat in this process for far
too long. The
competitiveness of our manufacturers relies on fair-priced raw
materials and it is time the ITC realizes the negative effects
these tariffs have on our jobs and on our economy,”
Congressman Knollenberg said. “Steel
consuming industries employ more than 50 workers for every one
worker in the steel-producing industry. The ITC must balance
their decisions to reflect this reality.”
An
excerpt from the letter follows:
“As the International Trade
Commission reviews current antidumping (AD) and countervailing
(CVD) duty orders
on certain corrosion resistant carbon steel flat products from
several countries, we urge the Commission to render a decision
that recognizes the fundamental restructuring of the steel
industry as well as the importance of this product to the
competitiveness of
America
’s manufacturing sector…
The law requires the Commission to
terminate the corrosion resistant steel restrictions unless
doing so would likely lead to recurrence of material injury to
the steel industry. This
rule reflects an important policy balance: industries are
entitled to be shielded from dumping and subsidization when
they face material injury, but when those industries are
prospering, the restrictions should be lifted to restore
competition to the marketplace.
Failure to do so can threaten other sectors of
U.S.
industry, particularly when an industrial raw material is
involved.
The domestic steel industry is
thriving and the revocation of the AD/CVD orders on corrosion
resistant steel is critical to the competitiveness of the
U.S.
automotive industry. Therefore,
we urge the Commission to revoke these orders on corrosion
resistant steel immediately.”
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