AISI Lauds CIT Ruling Upholding Section 232

Washington, D.C. – Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO, American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), issued the following statement in response to the Court of International Trade’s (CIT) decision today to uphold the legality of the Section 232 trade remedy in response to a lawsuit brought by foreign steel importers:

“Today the CIT rightly affirmed our strong belief that the constitutional challenge to the Section 232 statute was and is without merit. This lawsuit was theatre by the importers, designed to divert from the real issue which is that unfairly traded foreign imports had a disastrous impact on the steel industry, creating a real threat to our national and economic security. The president’s bold trade actions have now helped the industry gain some momentum, and today’s CIT decision builds on that momentum.

“We have consistently maintained that Congress acted within its constitutional authority when it authorized the president to take action to adjust imports, when the Secretary of Commerce has determined that such imports threaten to impair the national security. We are pleased that the CIT has agreed,” Gibson said.

AISI, in conjunction with the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA), in September submitted an amicus brief in the lawsuit.

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Contact: Lisa Harrison
202.452.7115 / lharrison@www.steel.org

AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 21 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and approximately 120 associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI’s website at www.steel.org. Follow AISI on Facebook or Twitter (@AISISteel).