House
of Representatives Allow Offshore Drilling Ban to Expire
The
American steel industry welcomed the House of Representatives
bi-partisan vote to allow the decades old oil and natural
gas drilling ban to expire. The moratorium was excluded
from a bill that will finance the federal government
through March 6, 2009. The action comes after months
of increased pressure from energy consumers in response
to skyrocketing energy prices.
"In
order to have a robust and competitive manufacturing
base, access to reliable and affordable energy supply
is key," said AISI President and CEO, Thomas J.
Gibson. "More needs to be done, such as providing
states with both financial incentives and control if
they allow exploration and production."
Previously
passed provisions allowed drilling 50 miles offshore,
however, according to the Minerals Management Service,
80 percent of America's known natural gas and oil reserves
are located within 50 miles off America's coastline.
The new measure allows for drilling as close as 3 miles
offshore. However, it is assumed the exploration issue
will be revisited in the 111th Congress. Therefore,
it is even more important for AISI's member companies
to contact their Representatives and Senators through
the Legislative
Action Center to make the current action permanent.
To
learn more about AISI's efforts on energy resources
and security, click
here.
AISI
Submits Comments to U.S. Trade Representative
AISI,
on behalf of its member companies, submitted
testimony to the United States Trade Representative's
Trade Policy Staff Committee this month regarding China's
non-compliance with the commitments it has made to the
World Trade Organization.
The
comments highlight the U.S.'s need to address China's
continued use of subsidies, currency manipulation, overcapacity
and non-market behavior, which are undermining the U.S.
manufacturing base. AISI suggested the U.S. government:
(1) pursue additional WTO action as necessary; (2) take
immediate and effective steps to counter China's currency
manipulation; (3) demand true rectification of China's
market-distorting practices; and (4) ensure strong and
effective enforcement of U.S. trade laws, particularly
antidumping and countervailing duty laws.
As
documented in the AISI submission, China's actions have
led to a dramatic growth in its steel industry, positioning
China as the world's leading steel exporter. These actions
have also greatly harmed the markets of the U.S. and
other steel producing nations.
To
learn more about AISI's China Focus, click
here. For more information about AISI's submission,
click
here.
AISI
Launches Policy Web Site Re-Design
On
September 8, AISI launched a re-design of its public
policy Web site, enabling it to be the most up-to-date,
pertinent Web site related to the domestic steel industry.
For more information about the launch, click here. To
view the new Web site, visit www.steel.org/policy.
Check
Out AISI's Public Policy Efforts on the Web
AISI's
Public Policy Homepage
AISI's
Legislative Action Center
For
more information on these Web sites, contact David
Ziemba.
| 
The
Capitol Line