Congressional Steel Caucus Vice-chair Pete Visclosky, D-1st, and Chair Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania convened a hearing on Thursday focused on the challenges faced by steelmakers to grow and create jobs with a sluggish U.S. economy and illegal trade practices from foreign competitors.

“The testimony of today’s expert witnesses affirmed the many threats faced by our domestic steel industry, and I remain deeply concerned about the illegal practices of some of our nation’s trading partners, particularly China,” Visclosky said in a statement released after the hearing. “I also, however, remain steadfastly committed to working with Congressman Murphy and the Congressional Steel Caucus to address those challenges and ensure the success of American manufacturing. With enforcement of our trade laws and investments in our nation’s energy and infrastructure, the American steel industry can and will usher in the economic recovery we need.”

“As global manufacturing has evolved over the decades, America’s steel industry has led the way in innovation to become more productive, energy-efficient, and competitive,” the statement said. “Today steelmakers use 30 percent less energy to produce a metric ton of steel than was used in 1990. Yet the industry has had to deal with illegal and anticompetitive trade practices from countries like China, which manipulate their currency and dump faulty steel products on U.S. markets.”

A recurring theme of the testimony was the need to invest in rebuilding our nation’s crumbling infrastructure, which would help boost the steel industry’s recovery and put more Americans back to work. “A stronger, safer, infrastructure would also help U.S. manufacturers to better compete in the global marketplace, allowing them to transport their goods on our highways, rails and waterways to market in a more timely and efficient manner,” the statement said.

Posted 5/27/2011