Zachary T. Space: “the steel industry has a proud tradition in this country. For over 150 years, steel production has been an important…”

“the steel industry has a proud tradition in this country. For over 150 years, steel production has been an important symbol of American strength and a critical source of American jobs. In recent decades, the American steel industry has faced an increasingly difficult landscape. Short-sighted free-trade agreements and illegal dumping policies set in place by foreign countries have placed American steel on an uneven playing field with foreign competitors. Facilities have been forced to close, at the expense of countless American jobs. In no place is this change in the industry more apparent than in my home of Ohio. Both my father and my grandfather found gainful employment in steel mills that now lie vacant and unused. Without question, Appalachian Ohio has felt the burden of global shifts in the economy, and I worry about the future of the jobs that remain. This amendment will ensure that American taxpayer dollars are used to support American industries and jobs. At a time when other countries like China are using questionable policies to develop an unfair advantage, there must be a mandate to use American steel with any federal funds. I am proud to lend my support to this amendment and the American steel industry.”