Kaptur Welcomes Commerce Department Determination Against Unfair Imports of Steel Pipe
July 11, 2014
TOLEDO -- Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (Ohio-9) this afternoon welcomed a final determination by the U.S. Department of Commerce to impose duties against South Korea along with eight other countries for unfair steel imports.
"This is a big win for American-made steel and for American jobs here in the heartland," Congresswoman Kaptur said. "We know that American companies and American workers can compete in the global market—but the playing field must be level. End of story."
She noted that the next step in the process is a hearing before the International Trade Commission to show material injury from the unfair trade practices. That hearing is set for next week in Washington.
"We will continue to fight for American jobs so that our communities can benefit fully from increased activity in the drilling sector," she said, noting that the case involved oil-country tubular goods (OCTG), mainly steel pipe.
American steelmakers and steelworkers had argued that other nations were engaging in unfair trade by dumping of product on the market at prices below their cost of production.
The Commerce decision received favorable response from both all sectors of the steel community, including companies and labor.
U.S. Steel Corp. president and CEO Mario Longhi, whose Pittsburgh-based company is the largest integrated producer of tubular products that is headquartered in the United States, communicated to Congresswoman Kaptur his pleasure with the Commerce Department determination. "Our only recourse against such actions was with the (department) and their ability to support the rule of law and create a level playing field for American manufacturing."
United Steelworkers International President Leo W. Gerard said, "With this decision, the U.S. Commerce Department listened to thousands of hard-working Americans and took a stand for fairness on behalf of those workers and their employers. In the past few months, Steelworkers across the country rallied for a level playing field. Today their voices were heard."
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"This is a big win for American-made steel and for American jobs here in the heartland," Congresswoman Kaptur said. "We know that American companies and American workers can compete in the global market—but the playing field must be level. End of story."
She noted that the next step in the process is a hearing before the International Trade Commission to show material injury from the unfair trade practices. That hearing is set for next week in Washington.
"We will continue to fight for American jobs so that our communities can benefit fully from increased activity in the drilling sector," she said, noting that the case involved oil-country tubular goods (OCTG), mainly steel pipe.
American steelmakers and steelworkers had argued that other nations were engaging in unfair trade by dumping of product on the market at prices below their cost of production.
The Commerce decision received favorable response from both all sectors of the steel community, including companies and labor.
U.S. Steel Corp. president and CEO Mario Longhi, whose Pittsburgh-based company is the largest integrated producer of tubular products that is headquartered in the United States, communicated to Congresswoman Kaptur his pleasure with the Commerce Department determination. "Our only recourse against such actions was with the (department) and their ability to support the rule of law and create a level playing field for American manufacturing."
United Steelworkers International President Leo W. Gerard said, "With this decision, the U.S. Commerce Department listened to thousands of hard-working Americans and took a stand for fairness on behalf of those workers and their employers. In the past few months, Steelworkers across the country rallied for a level playing field. Today their voices were heard."
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