Steve Buyer: “on February 25 I testified before the Subcommittee on Trade panel of the Committee on Ways and Means regarding the…”

“on February 25 I testified before the Subcommittee on Trade panel of the Committee on Ways and Means regarding the crisis of the United States steel industry caused by the flood of illegal imports. At the hearing I stated that imposing quotas legislatively was a measure of last resort utilized when it is clear that other options will not suffice to enforce our trade laws. Unfortunately it has become all too clear that the Clinton administration has no intention of aggressively enforcing our trade laws. I would far prefer that the administration use the tools that Congress has given to enforce our laws. The administration could take unilateral action to address the illegally dumped steel coming into the United States, but they have not done so. Although I have misgivings about the potential for retaliation that the legislation may engender, Congress simply cannot tolerate the dithering by the administration while the United States steel industry continues to bleed. American steelworkers are the most productive in the world. Investments in new technology in the 1980s and the training to reduced the hours of labor to make one ton of steel from 9.3 hours in 1980 to just 2 hours in 1999. The industry and its workers are the most efficient and productive in the world, and I ask my colleagues to support the Visclosky-Regula bill.”