In a decisive campaign to safeguard the American steel industry, four prominent steel organizations and their affiliates convened on Capitol Hill to champion legislative enhancements designed to fortify U.S. trade remedy laws. These advocates, including representatives from ArcelorMittal, Atkore, Cleveland-Cliffs, Metallus, Inc., North American Stainless, Nucor, Outokumpu, SSAB Americas, Steel Dynamics, Vallourec, and United Steelworkers, joined forces with steel advocacy groups such as the American Iron and Steel Institute, the Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports, and the Steel Manufacturers Association.
The coalition's primary objective was to lobby for the enactment of the Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act, a bipartisan bill introduced in the House by Reps. Terri Sewell (D-AL) and Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), and in the Senate by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Todd Young (R-IN). This legislation, which currently boasts a combined 80 cosponsors, aims to enhance the enforcement tools necessary to combat recurrent violators of U.S. trade remedy laws.
At a breakfast event, the industry's luminaries and union participants engaged with key legislative figures, including Reps. Rick Crawford (R-AR), Congressional Steel Caucus Chairman; Frank Mrvan (D-IN), Congressional Steel Caucus Vice Chairman; Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL), and other members of the Steel Caucus. The chief sponsors of the bill, Sewell and Van Duyne, along with Mrvan, further amplified their advocacy during a press conference and rally, urging congressional action on the LTPF 2.0 legislation.
Echoing this sentiment, Roger B. Schagrin, Executive Director and General Counsel of CPTI, emphasized the necessity of a fair competitive environment for U.S. steel pipe and tube producers. He lauded the bill's provisions, which aim to mitigate market distortions caused by steel overcapacity and Chinese government ownership. Schagrin called upon Congress to enact this vital legislation to bolster the industry’s role in the U.S. economy and national security.
Philip K. Bell, President of the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA), also expressed gratitude to the LTPF 2.0 cosponsors and Congressional Steel Caucus members. Bell highlighted the day's activities on Capitol Hill as a testament to the industry's unified resolve to counteract unfair trade practices that harm American workers and undermine the domestic steel market.
USW President David McCall provided a poignant perspective on the critical importance of the LTPF 2.0 Act for American workers. McCall emphasized that USW members have experienced firsthand the detrimental effects of unfair trade, particularly from Chinese subsidization and dumping. He commended the bipartisan efforts led by Sen. Sherrod Brown, Reps. Terri Sewell, and Beth Van Duyne, alongside other congressional supporters, in advocating for this crucial legislation.
