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Washington, D.C. – As the new Chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus, Congressman Pete Visclosky today made a push to build the ranks of the Caucus within the House of Representatives and create more support for issues facing the steel industry. In a letter to all Members of Congress which was co-signed by Vice-Chair Phil English (R-Pennsylvania), Visclosky invited all Members to join the group, and outlined the work ahead.
“The 110th Congress will be an active one for trade and labor issues, and the Steel Caucus will continue to provide a forum for members to voice their concerns regarding issues facing companies and workers across the United States,” said Visclosky in the letter.
The Congressional Steel Caucus is a bipartisan group of over 100 Members of Congress who share a common concern for issues that affect the domestic steel industry. One of the biggest concerns for Visclosky is the challenges posed by the Chinese steel industry.
“The Chinese steel industry, now more than twice as large as that of Japan and the United States combined, will certainly be a main focus. China recently became the largest source of U.S. steel imports, supplying roughly 4.8 million metric tons in 2006 – an increase of 131 percent over 2005 levels,” wrote Visclosky in the letter. “All the while, China’s surging capacity has not been market-driven, but instead has been fueled by massive government subsidies in the form of preferential loans, tax incentives, and subsidized raw materials.”
Visclosky believes that the Steel Caucus is needed to be an advocate for American jobs. “Because of our misguided trade policies, too many good-paying jobs have been shipped overseas,” said Visclosky. “I hope to add to the ranks of the Steel Caucus so we can continue to fight to protect American jobs.” |
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