Wednesday, March 26, 2014WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown. D-Ohio, met Tuesday with Mario Longhi, president and CEO of U.S. Steel, to discuss efforts to strengthen trade enforcement and protect American steelworkers and businesses.
Among the concerns Longhi raised during a meeting at the senator’s Capitol Hill office was last month’s preliminary ruling by the U.S. Department of Commerce that imposed duties on steel pipe imports from eight countries but failed to punish South Korea, considered to be the worst steel pipe dumping offender.
While Brown acknowledged the commitment of the administration to hold foreign countries accountable for steel dumping, he urged Commerce to reassess the data and reevaluate the methodology it used that resulted in Korea’s exclusion.
Brown’s meeting with Longhi followed another announcement last month by the Commerce Department that it would protect Ohio manufacturers such as U.S. Steel by maintaining antidumping duties and countervailing duties on Chinese steel pipe imports. Prior to its decision, Brown urged Commerce to rule in favor of domestic steel manufacturers on a petition regarding duties on oil country tubular goods imported from China.
“American steelworkers are the most talented in the world,” Brown, who was recently named co-chairman of the Senate Steel Caucus, said. “But in order for the industry to compete, our companies and workers must be given a level playing field. We cannot stand by countries like South Korea unfairly dumping steel in the U.S. market, putting American jobs in jeopardy.”
SOURCE: Office of U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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