Press Releases

CITAC STEEL TASK FORCE APPLAUDS
KNOLLENBERG RESOLUTION URGING PRESIDENT BUSH
TO CONSIDER IMPACT OF STEEL TARIFFS ON CONSUMERS

Resolution Requests All Facts Be Considered During Tariff Mid-Point Review

Washington, DC - Members of the Consuming Industries Trade Action Coalition Steel Task Force (CITAC STF) praised the leadership of Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and the 51 co-sponsors of a bipartisan House of Representatives resolution that urges President Bush to request the International Trade Commission (ITC) to include an analysis of the impact of the Section 201 steel tariffs on steel consumers in the United States.

"We commend Rep. Knollenberg and his co-sponsors for showing strong leadership at a critical time for steel-consuming industries in the U.S.," stated William Gaskin, President of the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) and member of CITAC STF. "Rep. Knollenberg's actions today show that Members of Congress are hearing the voices of steel consumers, who employ more than 50 Americans for every one employed by U.S. steel producers, and have suffered from the impact of the steel tariffs and other forms of protections afforded to U.S. steel producers."

House Concurrent Resolution 23 urges the President to request that the ITC "monitor and report on the impact of the temporary safeguards on domestic steel consuming industries." While the ITC is required to examine the effects of the steel tariffs at the mid-point review, by September 20 2003, it is under no obligation to consider the effects of the tariffs on steel consumers without a request.

"There is simply no reason why anyone should be opposed to Rep. Knollenberg's resolution," said Lewis Leibowitz, of the law firm Hogan & Hartson, and Counsel to CITAC STF. "It calls for all of the facts to be weighed in the ITC's steel tariff review process."

Rep. Knollenberg introduced the resolution in response to the mounting reports that the Section 201 steel tariffs, imposed in March 2002 by President Bush, have resulted in thousands of lost U.S. jobs in the steel-consuming industries.

"U.S. steel producers would have you believe that all is well as a result of the tariffs and the 30-70 percent increase in steel prices," continued Gaskin. "In fact, the tariffs imposed last year have caused havoc on steel consumers, including massive price increases, supply disruptions and substantial business and financial losses."

"All that we are asking is that the ITC look at the impact of the tariffs on both steel producers and steel consumers. Analyzing the impact of the tariffs only on steel producers ignores the thousands of hardworking Americans that have lost their jobs already, or may lose their jobs because of the tariffs," concluded Gaskin.

CITAC is a coalition of companies and organizations committed to promoting a trade arena where U.S. consuming industries and their workers have access to global markets for imports that enhance the international competitiveness of American firms. The CITAC Steel Task Force is comprised of steel consumers working to achieve the termination of the 201 steel tariffs by mid-point review and reform U.S. trade laws and policies to benefit U.S. steel consumers.