The USW joined steel industry executives at a June 7 hearing to urge members of the Congressional Steel Caucus to keep fighting for a level playing field for American workers and steelmakers, who continue to face pressure from unfair imports.
“The Steel Caucus has a storied history of bipartisan cooperation to defend American workers and ensure the enactment of policy that maintains a strong domestic industry,” USW Legislative Director Roy Houseman said. “We hope you will continue that tradition by enforcing and updating our trade laws and improving domestic procurement policy.”
Pictured: USW Legislative Director Roy Houseman
Among the actions Houseman called for in his testimony were the continuation of Section 232 tariffs on steel imports; the need to address a surge of steel imports from Mexico; the urgency of updating U.S. trade laws; and the importance of making sure taxpayer dollars maximize job creation with the proper implementation of the Build America, Buy America program.
A handful of top steel industry leaders joined Houseman at the “State of the Steel Industry” hearing, including Lourenco Goncalves, chairperson, president and CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs, the largest flat-rolled steel producer and iron ore supplier in the United States.
Goncalves, who also serves as chair of the American Iron and Steel Institute, touted his company’s environmental and sustainability efforts, contrasting Cliffs’ success at reducing carbon emissions with the more greenhouse-gas-intensive steelmaking taking place in China and other nations.
Other executives testifying included Richard Fruehauf, senior vice president of U.S. Steel; Barbara Smith, CEO of Commercial Metals Co.; Andy Annakin, executive vice president of Bull Moose Industries; and Leon Topalian, CEO of Nucor.
The Congressional Steel Caucus is a bipartisan group of about 100 elected representatives who work to support the American steel industry and its workers.
In his remarks, Houseman specifically urged the caucus to push for passage of the Leveling the Playing Field Act 2.0, which would strengthen trade laws and provide new tools to help workers and employers fight back against unfair and illegal imports.
“The USW will continue to use trade enforcement,” he said, “to ensure that the U.S. will not be the dumping ground for other countries’ steel products.”
Watch a full video of the hearing below.