AISI Applauds Senate Passage of USMCA

January 16, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), today issued the following statement regarding Senate passage, by a vote of 89-10, of legislation implementing the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA):

“Today’s passage of USMCA in the Senate is great news for steelmakers, our workers and our customers. It will help create jobs and foster investment in manufacturing, building upon the success of NAFTA. For the steel industry specifically, the USMCA improves upon the original NAFTA by strengthening the rules of origin for steel-intensive goods, incentivizing the use of North American steel in manufactured goods and bolstering our manufacturing supply chains with customers in the automotive, auto parts, pipe and tube, and machinery industries, among others. Nearly 90 percent of U.S. steel mill product exports go to Canada and Mexico, so securing those markets for our exports is critical for American steelmakers.

“The USMCA also will benefit the steel industry by promoting increased cooperation and information sharing among the North American governments to address circumvention and evasion of trade remedy orders. These measures will help the steel industries of our three countries continue to work together to address the repeated surges of dumped and subsidized steel imports that have plagued the North American market in recent years.”

AISI yesterday sent a letter to all senators urging them to vote yes.

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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’s membership is comprised of integrated and electric 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 Twitter (@AISISteel).