AISI Says New EPI Report Reaffirms Need to Preserve Steel Tariffs

WASHINGTON, DC-   The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) said a new report by the Economic Policy Institute (“Why Global Steel Surpluses Warrant U.S. Section 232 Import Measures”) released this morning reaffirms that the steel tariffs put in place in 2018 have been effective in facilitating significant investments in new and upgraded mills, creating thousands of new jobs and protecting U.S. national security, and that continued global steel overcapacity fueled by foreign government subsidies and other trade-distorting policies and practices threatens additional harm to the American steel industry absent continuation of the tariffs.

Kevin Dempsey, president and CEO of AISI, said, “This study makes it abundantly clear that the steel tariffs are working. We commend the economic analysis conducted by EPI which confirms that, due largely to the Section 232 steel tariffs, the American steel industry has been able to invest nearly 16 billion dollars to build, upgrade or expand steel facilities while also enabling the industry to effectively restructure. While these investments have created 3,200 new jobs, the tariffs kept many more workers on the job as the industry was threatened by significant challenges from foreign government trade-distorting policies and practices that have created substantial steel overcapacity worldwide. We are pleased that the report also recognizes that those challenges still exist and that keeping the steel tariffs in place is critical until a permanent solution to the chronic problem of excess global steel production capacity is achieved. We urge that opinion leaders, policymakers and steel partners all across the U.S. take a look at this important new report and work to ensure that steel tariffs remain in place.”

The full report can be linked to here.

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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 also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. 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 or <a