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Kaptur statement on Trump Administration announcement on protecting American steel manufacturing

March 1, 2018

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump's announcement that his administration would take action and impose a 25 percent tariff on imported steel. Specifics have not yet been released.

"Steelmaking communities are being whipsawed by unfair global trade and illegal dumping of steel by foreign nations such as China and Russia," said Kaptur. "Though we have yet to see specific details, we are hopeful today's announcement will put an end to a long series of delays to much-needed action against a rigged global steel market. Our steelmaking businesses and workers need relief so they can compete on a fair playing ground."

In February, the Administration released a report that contained Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross's recommendations for tariffs and quotas targeting nations long known for steel dumping including Russia, China, South Korea and Vietnam. Read the report here, which mentions Lorain, Ohio and includes Kaptur's testimony from last May to the Department of Commerce.

The report was the result of President Trump initiating an investigation through the Department of Commerce to look into actions the federal government could take to keep illegal foreign steel from disrupting U.S. steel markets and harming American workers.

In August of last year, Kaptur wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to inquire about delays into a Commerce Department investigation of steel imports and illegal dumping of steel. This letter came after Kaptur testified at a Commerce Department hearing (video) on May 24 and urged the Administration to expedite the investigation and any related action. Secretary Ross told Kaptur at the hearing that the report would be completed by June of 2017, a self-imposed deadline that was missed by more than six months. Kaptur was the only Member of Congress to testify.

Last year, Kaptur, along with Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) invited Secretary Ross to visit Lorain.