Visclosky Stops Steel Tariff Rollback

Washington, D.C.  – Fighting to save jobs, Congressman Pete Visclosky led a successful effort to defeat an anti-steel tariff resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday.

Visclosky, vice chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus, joined colleagues of both parties to table House Joint Resolution 84. The resolution, introduced by Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-La.), would have significantly rolled back tariffs imposed by President Bush on March 5, 2002, against illegally traded foreign steel.  It called for tariffs to be reduced from 30 percent to 20 percent.  Wednesday’s successful action prevented the measure from coming to the floor for a vote.

In a speech on the House floor, Visclosky made the case that 30 percent tariffs must be enforced to stop illegal foreign steel imports, and preserve good-paying jobs here at home.

“On October 22 of last year, the International Trade Commission – three Republicans and three Democrats – unanimously found that illegally dumped steel caused serious injury to the United States of America and its workers,” Visclosky said.  “They were right.”

Visclosky took issue with concerns that some of our trading partners were upset by the tariffs.  He noted that more than 72,000 American steelworkers have lost their jobs at bankrupt and closed companies, and that it is our responsibility to preserve good-paying jobs for our own citizens.

“They are our responsibility to protect,” Visclosky said.  “We ought not to set the President’s program back.”

In his remarks, Visclosky also implored the Bush Administration to hold firm against exemptions for foreign steelmakers who produce products that are also made in the United States.  He asked that exemptions be granted only for products that are not made domestically.