Visclosky Saves Funding for Steel Tariff Enforcement

Washington, D.C.  – Congressman Pete Visclosky has fought off efforts to cut $2.5 million in funding to help customs workers screen steel imports for illegally dumped products.

During a markup, Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Arizona) attempted to pull the money from the Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill and redirect it to efforts to automate customs screening.  While Visclosky also supports the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) program, he was unwilling to cut the funding for steel screeners.

Because of Visclosky’s efforts, the $2.5 million for steel screeners remains in the bill, which was reported out of the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Wednesday, and now goes before the full House.  Visclosky’s remarks during the committee markup convinced the committee to keep the steel screening funding in place.

“These customs workers form the first line of our defense against illegally dumped foreign steel,” Visclosky said.  “To defend working men and women in Northwest Indiana, we need a comprehensive screening process to enforce our tariffs against these illegal products.”

The funding will train current and future customs workers to spot steel products that do not conform to U.S. trade laws.  Because there are so many different types of products, and various levels of tariffs, it is a complicated process.  Steel industry representatives believe as many as 30 more employees will need to be hired to effectively screen foreign steel imports.

Visclosky led the push for imposition of tariffs against foreign steelmakers who violate U.S. trade laws and cost American steelworkers their jobs.  After Visclosky met with President George W. Bush at the White House on February 28, 2002, the president imposed tariffs against illegally traded foreign steel on March 5.

Bush imposed the tariffs after the U.S. International Trade Commission found unanimously, on October 22, 2001, that illegal steel imports had caused substantial injury to domestic steel companies and their employees.  Visclosky set the stage for that finding when he brought the ITC to Merrillville on October 5 to hear from local steelworkers who had lost jobs due to the dumping crisis.

As a result of illegal dumping, 34 domestic steel companies have gone bankrupt since December 31, 1997, affecting more than 73,000 steelworkers.  Now that the tariffs are in place, proper screening and enforcement are necessary to keep them effective.

“Only proper screening can prevent illegal steel from slipping past our borders,” Visclosky said.  “I will fight to see that we fund this process, and I will do everything in my power to preserve good-paying jobs for working men and women in Northwest Indiana.”