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Washington, D.C. – Congressman Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.), Chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus, and Congressman Tim Murphy (R-Pa.), Vice Chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus, along with nine other bipartisan members of the Caucus’ Executive Committee, today sent the following letter to President Obama urging him to set a precedent for trade law enforcement and prevent unfair trading practices by accepting the U.S. International Trade Commission’s recommendation of a Section 421 safeguard against unfair Chinese imports:
September 10, 2009
President Barack Obama
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama:
We write today as members of the Executive Committee of the Congressional Steel Caucus to urge you to accept the recommendation of the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in the case submitted by the United Steelworkers (USW) under Section 421 of the Trade Act of 1974 regarding passenger vehicle and light truck tire imports from China.
The Congressional Steel Caucus is well acquainted with the harmful effects of Chinese trading practices, such as dumping, currency misalignment, and subsidization. The Caucus also has been involved with several Section 421 cases in the recent past involving steel, including investigations of Chinese circular welded non-alloy steel pipe, ductile iron waterworks fittings, and steel wire garment hangers.
We strongly believe in the legitimacy and importance of the Section 421 safeguard, and were pleased that the ITC voted in the affirmative for the steel cases and that relief was recommended for domestic producers. Declining to implement the ITC recommendations in the past has resulted in devastating losses to the steel manufacturing communities we represent.
In the July 2009 ITC investigation of certain passenger vehicle and light truck tires from China, the agency concluded that the import surge had injured domestic workers, and recommended tariffs over a three-year period to give the industry a chance to recover and prevent additional job losses.
As this is your first opportunity to implement the recommendation of the ITC in a Section 421 case, we ask that you set a precedent for the validity and use of the Section 421 safeguard, and demonstrate our country’s ability to enforce our trade laws and prevent unfair trading practices.
Sincerely,
Rep. PETER J. VISCLOSKY, Chairman
Rep. TIM MURPHY, Vice Chairman
Rep. CHARLIE WILSON
Rep. ROBERT ADERHOLT
Rep. MARK SOUDER
Rep. JOHN MURTHA
Rep. ALAN MOLLOHAN
Rep. SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO
Rep. STEVEN LATOURETTE
Rep. DENNIS KUCINICH
Rep. BART STUPAK |
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