AISI Applauds Introduction of House and Senate Bills to Address Unfair Trade

WASHINGTON, DC-   The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI)  applauded the introduction today of the “Leveling the Playing Field Act 2.0” —bipartisan legislation introduced in the Senate by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Todd Young (R-IN), and in the House by Reps. Bill Johnson (R-OH) and Terri Sewell (D-AL).  The bill, officially titled “Eliminating Global Market Distortions to Protect American Jobs Act of 2023,” aims to strengthen U.S. trade remedy laws to crack down on unfair trade practices and enhance the enforcement tools needed to combat repeat offenders of the U.S. trade remedy laws. The bill also addresses the growing problem of “cross-border subsidization” where foreign governments subsidize industries, like steel, not only in their own countries but in other countries as well.

Kevin Dempsey, president and CEO of AISI, said, “The American steel industry is the backbone of the U.S. economy and produces the cleanest steel in the world. But the industry has faced repeated surges of unfairly traded steel imports in recent years —due largely to dumped and subsidized imports from many countries and regions, including those that produce steel with higher carbon intensity than U.S. steelmakers. American steelmakers have successfully sought relief under the U.S. trade remedy system, only to face new surges of steel imports of the same products from other countries not subject to the original antidumping or countervailing duty orders. By strengthening the effectiveness of the U.S. trade laws, this bill will help give the American public confidence that their government has every tool available to fight for a level playing field for the American steel industry and our workers. We appreciate the continued leadership of Senators Brown and Young, and Representatives Johnson and Sewell, in support of the American steel industry, and thank the numerous other steel champions who have cosponsored these bills.”

Dempsey noted that the bill also addresses subsidization across borders, such as when Chinese steelmakers, through its “Belt and Road Initiative,” build new export-oriented steelmaking facilities in other Asian countries — including Indonesia, Vietnam and others, which then export steel to the U.S. market.

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Contact: Lisa Harrison

202.452.7115 / lharrison@steel.org

AISI serves as the voice of the American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI’s membership is comprised of integrated and electric arc furnace steelmakers, and 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, LinkedIn, Twitter (@AISISteel) or Instagram.