[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 144 (Monday, October 12, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H10632-H10638]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CALLING ON THE PRESIDENT TO RESPOND TO INCREASE OF STEEL IMPORTS AS A 
             RESULT OF FINANCIAL CRISES IN ASIA AND RUSSIA

  Mr. ARCHER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 350) calling on the President 
to take all necessary measures under existing law to respond to the 
significant increase of steel imports resulting from the financial 
crises in Asia, Russia, and other regions, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 350

       Whereas the current financial crises in Asia, Russia, and 
     other regions have involved massive depreciation in the 
     currencies of several key steel-producing and steel consuming 
     countries, along with a collapse in the domestic demand for 
     steel in these countries;
       Whereas the crises have generated and will continue to 
     generate significant increases in United States imports of 
     steel, both from the countries whose currencies have 
     depreciated in the crisis and from steel producing countries 
     that are no longer able to export steel to the countries in 
     economic crisis;
       Whereas United States imports of finished steel mill 
     products from Asian steel producing countries--the People's 
     Republic of China, Japan, Korea, India, Taiwan, Indonesia, 
     Thailand, and Malaysia--have increased by over 70 percent in 
     the first 5 months of 1998 compared to the same period in 
     1997;
       Whereas year-to-date imports of steel from Russia now 
     exceed the record import levels of 1997, and steel imports 
     from Russia and Ukraine now approach 2,500,000 metric tons;
       Whereas foreign government trade restrictions and private 
     restraints of trade distort international trade and 
     investment patterns and result in burdens on United States 
     commerce, including absorption of a disproportionate share of 
     diverted steel trade;
       Whereas the European Union, for example, despite also being 
     a major economy, in 1997 imported only one-tenth as much 
     finished steel products from Asian steel producing countries 
     as the United States did and has restricted imports of steel 
     from the Commonwealth of Independent States, including 
     Russia;
       Whereas the United States is simultaneously facing a 
     substantial increase in steel imports from countries within 
     the Commonwealth of Independent States, including Russia, 
     caused in part by the closure of Asian markets; and
       Whereas many would recognize that there may be a need to 
     determine if there should be improvements in the enforcement 
     of United States trade laws to provide an effective response 
     to such situations: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress calls upon the President to--
       (1) pursue vigorous enforcement of United States trade laws 
     relating to unfair trade practices with respect to the 
     significant increase of steel imports into the United States, 
     using all remedies available under all those laws;
       (2) pursue consultations with officials of Japan, Korea, 
     the European Union, and other nations to eliminate import 
     barriers that affect steel mill products and to increase 
     access to their markets;
       (3) closely monitor United States imports of steel and make 
     the data gathered from such monitoring available to the 
     public as soon as possible; and
       (4) report to the Congress by no later than January 5, 
     1999, on the impact that the significant increase in steel 
     imports is having on employment, prices, and investment in 
     the United States steel industry.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Archer) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer).


                             General Leave

  Mr. ARCHER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and that I may include extraneous material on the resolution, 
H. Con. Res. 350, now under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Speaker, I wish to be recognized in opposition 
to the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman from New York opposed to 
the resolution?
  Mr. RANGEL. No, Madam Speaker.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Speaker, the gentleman from Indiana is opposed 
to the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) 
will control 20 minutes.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Speaker, I also ask unanimous consent that we 
extend debate on this resolution for 1 additional hour, given the 
important nature of the resolution before the House.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer) 
yield for the purpose of extending the debate for 1 additional hour?
  Mr. ARCHER. No, Madam Speaker. I cannot accept, Madam Speaker. This 
bill is under suspension and should be covered by the normal rules for 
suspension.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer) will 
be recognized for 20 minutes; the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) 
will be recognized for 20 minutes; and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. 
Visclosky) will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer).
  Mr. ARCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.Con.Res. 350. I worked 
with my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Regula) to develop this resolution 
which expresses the strong will of Congress that the President must 
respond to the significant increase in steel imports. This resolution 
expresses the clear signal that we must take action under our existing 
laws to preserve U.S. jobs in this vital sector.
  Some are seeking to politicize this issue, asserting that this 
resolution is not strong enough. Frankly, I do not understand that 
strategy. We must be united in our call to the administration to take 
action. The resolution makes perfectly clear that Congress is gravely 
concerned that the financial crises in Asia and Russia have led to a 
collapse in demand for domestic steel and that a number of our trading 
partners are closing in their markets to foreign steel, leaving the 
U.S. vulnerable to sky-rocketing levels of imports.
  In fact, this language in the resolution is virtually identical to 
the so-called bipartisan resolution, H.Con.Res. 328, introduced last 
month.
  Furthermore, the resolution calls upon the President to pursue 
vigorous enforcement of U.S. trade laws with respect to steel; to 
negotiate with Japan and Korea and the EU to eliminate barriers and 
open their markets to the glut to the steel on the market; to closely 
monitor import levels; and to report to Congress by January 5 on the 
impact that the significant increase in steel imports is having on 
employment, prices, and investment here.
  Madam Speaker, I hope we will not play politics today. We have no 
disagreement about the impact that the significant increase in steel 
imports is having on the U.S. industry and on its workers. I do not 
understand why this resolution should pass by anything other than a 
unanimous vote so that we can send a clear, united message to the 
President that the Congress is deeply concerned.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I have no speakers, so I reserve my time 
at this time.

[[Page H10633]]

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer) stated correctly 
that there is a significant problem with a surge in steel imports into 
the United States of America. In the first 6 months of this year 
compared to the first 6 months of last year, imports have surged from 
South Korea by 89 percent.

                              {time}  1800

  Imports from Japan have surged 113 percent. Imports from Indonesia 
have surged over 300 percent. People have lost their jobs. They are not 
going to get laid off, they are not going to lose their jobs, they have 
lost their jobs.
  The gentleman from Texas was also correct, that in a bipartisan 
fashion a period of time ago, a significant number of Members in the 
House of Representatives introduced a resolution to call upon the 
administration, that has not acted on this matter, to take action. The 
administration has not acted, and people have lost their jobs because 
of that. That is why we are here tonight, because if the President of 
the United States is not going to enforce the trade statutes of the 
United States of America, we have a constitutional responsibility to do 
it in this House.
  I have the utmost respect for the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), 
the chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus, as well as the Vice-
Chair, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha), and the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. Quinn), who chairs the executive committee.
  We were all on that original resolution, and we called for the 
enhanced enforcement of the United States trade laws with respect to 
the surge in steel imports. We asked that the United States government 
use all remedies available under those laws, including offsetting 
duties, I stand to be corrected if that is not the law of the land 
today, and the instrument of the law under the Constitution that the 
President can use today.
  We said in that resolution, that bipartisan resolution, calling upon 
our president, who has not acted, that he should use quantitative 
restraints if necessary. That is exactly what the European community 
has done. They have put up a wall. People are so cavalier when they 
come in. They say yes, the Europeans did it, but we are going to cause 
a crisis internationally if we simply protect ourselves from an illegal 
international action.
  If I am wrong that quantitative restraints are not allowable under 
the law of the land today, I stand to be corrected right now, and other 
authorized remedial measures as appropriate that are available to the 
President of the United States.
  The second paragraph of that resolution that was introduced in a 
bipartisan fashion to call upon the President, who has not acted, said 
that the President should pursue with all tools at his disposal a more 
equitable sharing of the burden of accepting imports of finished steel 
products from Asia and the countries within the Commonwealth.
  The language we have before us today says that we should consult with 
the officials of Japan, we should consult with the officials of Korea, 
we should consult with the European Union. I bet Mr. Kim at Pohang 
Steel is going to lay awake tonight worrying about our consultation. We 
are going to consult him to death between now and January 3. Mr. 
Yakamura of Nippon Steel in Japan, the guy is probably going to have a 
heart attack because we are going to consult with the Japanese. We have 
been consulting for 6 months, and nobody has taken any action.
  I bet the foreign ministers of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, 
France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, 
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, I bet they are going to be 
apoplectic because we are going to consult with them.
  Do Members know what, they have a job. They have a job. But 450 
white-collar workers at Inland Steel in Chicago, Indiana, they do not 
have a job today. They do not have a job today. On October 7, 2 days 
ago, or 5 days ago, I stand corrected, Timken Steel in Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania, laid off 160 workers. They do not have a job today. That 
foreign minister in France got his job.
  Forty-seven steelworkers who were laid off at three Ohio steel-
producing facilities last month, those 47 workers, I will bet most of 
them are married, I will bet most have kids, most have a mortgage, and 
they cannot wait until January 5, with Christmas and Thanksgiving, and 
three months of feeding their kids and sending them to school.
  We have 40 union workers laid off at Timken Steel in Latrobe, 
Pennsylvania. We had, on September 2nd, 400 people laid off at Inland 
Steel, in addition to the 450. Geneva Steel in Utah, an 18 percent 
cutback, 355 people as of September 29. As of 1\1/2\ weeks ago, those 
350, they are not working, but the guy in Luxembourg, the guy in Japan, 
the guy in Korea, he is working. He is working.
  The President has done nothing. We have an obligation to do 
something. The third portion of our resolution, bipartisanly 
introduced, said that the administration ought to establish a task 
force within the branch with the responsibility for closely monitoring 
imports. No great quibble here.
  The resolution before us today says we will continue to closely 
monitor. A lot of good that has done for all of these other people that 
have continued to lose their jobs, the 200 people in Fairfield, 
Alabama, who on September 1 were laid off by U.S. Steel, the 100 people 
in Mon Valley, Pittsburgh, who were laid off on September 1.
  That monitoring so far to date, the last 6 months, has not helped the 
people at Slater Steel, where 51 positions were eliminated last week. 
Last Thursday, 51 people lost their jobs. It did not help them that we 
have been monitoring since last summer.
  The last part of our resolution said that there should be a report to 
us, to the Republicans, to the Democrats, a report to us by the 
President, who has not acted, on the comprehensive plan we want him to 
develop to deal with this surge. We want a plan in place. We want 
action taken no later than that. The resolution before us today said 
that the President ought to report back and say he should tell us what 
the impact is by January 5.
  I have a couple more. Acme Steel in Riverdale, Illinois. They just 
filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. A good thing we had a bankruptcy bill 
on the House floor last week. We anticipated that event.
  We have lost jobs. We are losing jobs as the weeks go by. We are 
asking for the President to come back in 3 months with this resolution 
and say, tell us what the impact is, Mr. President. We would really 
like to know.
  Everybody in this Chamber is smart enough to know what the problem 
is. I respect all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, because 
we all want the same thing to happen. We want the President of the 
United States to act. We want this institution to act.
  But in the last day or two of this Congress, to stand before the 
American people with a resolution that says, report back to us on the 
impact, let us monitor this, let us consult people to death, is a sham, 
and I am not going to lie to the workers who are losing their jobs 
every day.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CRANE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 350 recognizes that the 
U.S. steel industry is experiencing difficulties as a result of a 
significant increase in imports of steel into the United States, and 
calls on the President to take all measures under existing law to 
respond to this increase.
  The financial crisis or crises in Asia and Russia have made a number 
of industries, including steel, vulnerable to increased imports from 
countries seeking to bolster their currencies and improve the current 
account balances.
  This resolution is tough but fair, and I urge my colleagues to 
support it. I support using our existing trade laws to address the 
question of whether steel is being traded unfairly and injuring our 
industry and workers. In fact, I understand that the steel industry has 
brought a number of antidumping petitions within the last 2 weeks. I 
urge the industry to continue to pursue this track, and the Commerce 
Department and the International Trade Commission to consider these 
petitions promptly.
  Some say that we should change our trade laws in advance to 
accommodate

[[Page H10634]]

these cases before they have been decided. Much as I sympathize with 
the plight of the U.S. steel industry and its workers, I believe it 
would be premature to make such changes.
  First, we must not prejudge or interfere with the outcome of pending 
litigation. Second, we must resist the urge to unilaterally close our 
markets at this delicate time. Shutting our doors through protection 
would set a bad example for Asia and Russia, and for the rest of the 
world, that closed trade is an acceptable policy in difficult economic 
times. History shows us that it clearly is not. We should not tolerate 
policies that limit imports of our goods and services, and we should 
not permit Asia and Russia to increase U.S.-bound exports excessively, 
to the detriment of our companies and workers.
  Instead, we must pursue trade liberalization abroad by action to 
increase our access to other markets. We should be on the lookout for 
increased Asian and Russian trade barriers. We must also encourage 
Japan to open its markets to absorb excess capacity from its neighbors.
  In short, we have to do everything we can to get the Asian region and 
Russia back to health so their consumers may continue to purchase our 
goods and services and create opportunities for our companies and 
workers. The financial crisis is an opportunity to foster trade 
liberalization in these markets, make systematic changes that will open 
markets, increase transparency, and bolster confidence.
  Accordingly, the resolution calls upon the President to pursue 
vigorous enforcement of U.S. trade laws relating to unfair trade 
practices using all remedies available under all those laws, pursue 
consultations with our trading partners to eliminate barriers and 
increase access to those markets, closely monitor U.S. imports of 
steel, make that data available to the public, and report to Congress 
by January 5 on the impact the significant increase in steel imports is 
having on employment, prices, and investment in the industry.
  I would like to congratulate several of my colleagues for their role 
in bringing this resolution to the floor today, including the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. English), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), 
and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Weller).
  I would particularly like to thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. 
Aderholt), who, while not a member of the Committee on Ways and Means, 
has worked hard on this issue.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for this resolution, 
which sends a strong warning to our trading partners that we are on the 
lookout for our steel industry and its workers.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Klink).
  Mr. KLINK. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me.
  Madam Speaker, I decided to run for Congress after I covered in the 
news business the decline of the American steel industry while working 
for a television station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 155,000 
industrial jobs were lost while this country and this Congress and 
various presidents sat here and fiddled and carried on, and did not 
care about what was happening in what has become known as the rust belt 
of this Nation.
  My dear colleague, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) just 
talked a moment ago about the hundreds of our constituents in this 
country who are losing their jobs each day, and each one of them is a 
tragic story. Each one of them is someone who cannot make a car 
payment, cannot make a mortgage payment, does not know how they are 
going to pay the bills.
  They had a great job in the American steel industry, in a Nation that 
has led the production of steel for generations. Now, we are saying to 
them, the President will not stand up for you. He will not use the 
tools at his disposal, and this Congress can just use a lighter shade 
of pale of the resolution that this Congress in a bipartisan manner 
suggested that we pass to force this administration to do everything in 
their power to stand up for this industry and for those American 
workers.
  Steel prices in this country have fallen 20 percent over the last 3 
months, and workers are being laid off because the Asian countries and 
Russia are dumping their steel on this country. Unfair trade practices 
are taking place that are having an incredibly bad effect across this 
Nation.
  What do we do? We want to study the issue. We want to consult about 
the issue. We want to formulate a report which will come back after the 
first of the year. I will tell Members right now what the report is 
going to say. I will save the Members the money, the millions of 
dollars it would take to write that report. What is going to happen is 
more workers will be laid off, steel plants will close, and our 
communities will fall apart.
  We have to take action. These trade laws are on the books. Allegheny 
Ludlum in Leechburg, which is just outside of my district, they have 
already laid off over 100 workers this year because of the cheap 
foreign imported steel.
  There is not a college, there is not an MBA course, there is not a 
university in this Nation that can teach you how to run a steel plant 
when you have become as efficient as you can, when you are producing 
steel cheaper than you have ever done, you are producing as much as you 
can produce, and you are still losing money. Why are we losing money? 
Because we are allowing this cheap imported steel to be dumped here 
that is being subsidized by other nations.
  The truth of the matter is that instead of calling on the President 
to pursue enhanced enforcement, we are now saying, just vigorous 
enforcement. Instead of calling upon the President to use all the tools 
at his disposal to share Asian and Russian imports with Japan and the 
European union, this bill suggests we pursue consultations.
  We have pursued enough consultations, Madam Speaker. It is time we 
take action. This bill is a sham.
  Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 3 minutes.
  Madam Speaker, this resolution puts our trading partners on notice 
that the U.S. Congress will not tolerate predatory trade practices. 
This resolution also pressures the administration to use its legal 
authority, including remedies that in my view could include offsetting 
duties and quantitative restraints, to the benefit of a strategic 
sector of the American economy.
  I call on the administration to act expeditiously to eliminate the 
damage that is being caused by illegal dumping of foreign steel 
products. Russia, Brazil, Korea, China, and Japan should not be allowed 
to export their economic mismanagement to the United States.

                              {time}  1815

  Dumping is an unfair, intolerable and illegal trade practice that is 
hurting American steel companies and putting American jobs at risk.
  Due to their economic crises, foreign steel companies in these 
countries and elsewhere cannot sell their products for domestic 
consumption. In order to liquidate their inventory, foreign steel 
producers are dumping their products in the U.S. by selling at prices 
below production costs.
  Steel imports through May 1998 increased by a staggering figure, over 
70 percent from last year, and now constitute one-third of the domestic 
steel market. Over the last decade, Mr. Speaker, the American steel 
industry has been revitalized and become one of the most competitive 
industries in the world. This substantial accomplishment is now in 
jeopardy due to illegally traded steel imports, and the companies 
involved support this resolution.
  Let us be clear, a vote for this resolution is a vote for a strong 
domestic steel industry. A vote against this resolution, contrary to 
what we have heard on the other side, is a vote against the vital 
interest of every American steelworker whose job is at risk because of 
illegal imports.
  Mr. Speaker, I challenge every Member of this body who aspires to 
represent working families to set aside partisan poses and vote for 
fair trade and for this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, if I could ask the Chair what the time 
remaining is on each side.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Blunt). The gentleman from Indiana

[[Page H10635]]

(Mr. Visclosky) has 9 minutes remaining, and the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. English) has 11\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  MR. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to 
the distinguished gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), chair of the 
Congressional Steel Caucus.
  (Mr. REGULA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, we have heard the slogan, ``Stand up for 
steel.'' Today we are standing up for steel. What we are really talking 
about are two objectives. One is to save steel jobs in this Nation, the 
other is to get the President and the Cabinet members energized to help 
us save those steel jobs.
  This is the message that we want to send down Pennsylvania Avenue. We 
have had discussions. We have had a lot of talk, but now we need 
action.
  Other speakers have detailed the extent of the problem. Exports are 
up from Russia, 45 percent; from Korea, 89 percent; from Japan, 113 
percent; Indonesia, 308 percent. And, of course, the European Union put 
in quotas, as was mentioned earlier. Even though their population is 
the same as ours, roughly, they import one-tenth as does the United 
States. I think it tells us very clearly how we are being the target 
for all the surplus steel capacity around the world.
  What we do in this resolution is say to the administration: Take 
action. It is a strong message. We can talk about semantics. We can 
split hairs. The real answer is we have got to get the message down 
there. And whether it is the resolution offered by the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), whether it is mine, whether it is the 
resolution offered by the gentleman from Texas (Chairman Archer), none 
of those will mean anything unless the administration is willing to 
take action.
  But I would point out to my colleagues that in this resolution before 
us today we call for the President of the United States to pursue 
vigorous enforcement of our unfair trading laws using all remedies 
available under all laws. In other words, use all of the tools 
available.
  Are there tools? Yes, there are tools. The President can invoke 
national security matters and immediately put on quantitative 
restraints, if the President were willing to do this.
  Mr. Speaker, he can pursue the test of emergency conditions in the 
United States, and there is an emergency. Again, the President can act 
without any further action.
  Thirdly, the President and the Commerce Department can bring 201 and 
301 cases. They have not done so.
  Fourthly, they can find critical circumstances under dumping, 
allowing retroactive imposition of duties. So, there are many tools 
available.
  Last week I, as chairman of the Steel Caucus, along with the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) met with Senator Specter, 
chairman in the Senate, and Senator Rockefeller, and we met with 
Treasury Secretary Rubin, Secretary of Commerce Dailey, with Trade 
Ambassador Barshefsky, and with the chairman of the Council of Economic 
Advisors, Mr. Gene Sperling. We gave them the outlines of the problem. 
And what we had from them is talk. As I said to them, there is a 
Chinese proverb that says, ``Talk does not cook rice.''
  What we need is for this administration to start dealing with this 
problem and not giving us talk. This resolution provides for disclosure 
to the public so we know what is going on. And I think that it will 
require action by our Committee on Ways and Means.
  I would point out of all the resolutions, this is the one coming out 
of our Committee on Ways and Means. To really work on this problem, we 
need the cooperation and we need the help and we need action by the 
Committee on Ways and Means.
  But right now, the President of the United States can take action to 
save those steel jobs. Mr. Speaker, I say to the President, ``Mr. 
President, we want you and your cabinet and your administration to 
stand up for steel.''
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar).
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Committee on Ways and 
Means has acted. I think we all ought to recognize, though, they acted 
only because we had such a strong vote last week on this issue that 
showed we could have passed the resolution that was originally 
introduced.
  Now, if my colleagues want to be ``Congressman Feelgood,'' go ahead 
and vote for this resolution, this watered-down, tooth-pulled language 
that has no strength in it. If they want to be ``Mr. Feelgood,'' then 
vote for it.
  But if they want to be ``Congressman Do-Good,'' then let us bring 
this resolution back to the floor that so many of us cosponsored. What 
we need is some real action.
  We need action on voluntary restraint agreements, as we had during 
the Reagan administration. The gentleman from Ohio will remember that 
very well. We need retroactive countervailing duties assured to be 
imposed, once the findings are made on the countervailing duty cases 
that are pending.
  We need to have Japan reduce its exports to the United States. We 
need Japan to raise their prices to real market condition prices. We 
need tough language, not this watered-down language that we are dealing 
with here.
  The actions that can be taken with Japan, with Korea to privatize its 
steel industry, to bring its exports down to the level prior to this 
past May. And for the European Union to end their quotas on Russian 
steel that have cut Russian exports to the European Community countries 
by 50 percent, so that Russia now leapfrogs Europe and dumps their 
steel in the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, these are specific, direct actions that can be taken and 
we ought to be telling the administration: Do it. Do something good. 
Stand up for steel.
  Let us stand up for something that means action, not just 
``significant increase,'' not just ``under existing laws,'' not 
``establish a monitoring program,'' as provided in this resolution. 
That means nothing.
  As the gentleman from Indiana said, I tell my colleagues, the 
leadership in Japan is not quaking in their boots over this language, 
and neither should the Members on this floor. We ought to have 
something a lot tougher.
  Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Weller), a member of the 
Committee on Ways and Means, and a good friend of steel.
  (Mr. WELLER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
English) for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time for action. Frankly, it is time that we give 
a wakeup call to the White House. While steelworkers in Illinois and 
across this country are losing their jobs, the Clinton administration 
does nothing.
  Tonight, the President is in New York spending an evening with the 
``limousine liberals,'' and nothing is being done about steel jobs in 
Illinois. We are losing jobs in Illinois because the Clinton 
administration is doing nothing. This Congress needs to speak and call 
for action, because Illinois workers are losing their jobs while Bill 
Clinton is in New York.
  Asian countries, the countries of Asia and Russia are dumping steel 
in Illinois and it is costing Illinois workers their jobs. Steel 
imports from Japan have doubled, while Bill Clinton sleeps. Steel 
imports from Korea have gone up 89 percent, while the Clinton 
administration does nothing.
  We need action Mr. Speaker. That is why this resolution and that is 
why this Congress should speak in a bipartisan, unanimous vote telling 
the Clinton administration get off of its duff and do something and go 
to work to protect Illinois steel jobs.
  There are 20 firms in the south suburbs of the south side of Chicago 
that I have the privilege of representing. Every one of them are 
hurting. As the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) pointed out, 
Acme Steel filed for bankruptcy. Birmingham Steel, which has 400 jobs 
in Bourbonnais, has now reduced its hours down to where they are only 
working 4 days a week in order to avoid layoffs. In September, they 
shut down for a full week, idling 280 workers. Belson Scrap and Steel, 
110 employees. They have had to reduce their payroll by 10 percent.
  Because the Clinton administration is doing nothing, workers are 
hurting. We need action. Let us give a bipartisan vote to this 
resolution and demand action out of Clinton administration.

[[Page H10636]]

  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 350 which calls 
on the President to enforce existing trade laws to respond to the 
overwhelming increase in foreign steel imports resulting from the Asian 
financial crisis.
  Mr. Speaker passage of H. Con. Res. 350 is of the utmost importance 
to the future of the American steel industry and to thousands of 
steelworkers around the country, many of which I represent in the 11th 
Congressional District in Chicago's south suburbs. The economic 
problems in Russia, Asia and Latin America have lead to large scale 
dumping of foreign steel on the U.S. market with most of this steel 
being sold at below the price of production in their home markets. As 
you know Mr. Speaker, this is an unfair and illegal trade practice 
under both international and U.S. trade policies, and the dumping of 
foreign steel threatens many good paying American jobs.
  This past spring, I along with 64 other members of this House signed 
a letter to the President asking him to enforce existing U.S. laws 
against these unfairly traded steel imports. Unfortunately Mr. Speaker, 
the Administration has failed to act on behalf of the steel industry 
and American workers. In fact, the problem has only grown worse since 
this spring, Steel imports for this past July were up almost 45% over 
July 1997. Imports from Japan and South Korea are up over 113% and 89% 
respectively.
  The impact of this dumped steel has already resulted in layoffs and 
reduced orders in factories around the country. U.S. Steel has laid off 
over 100 workers in Pittsburgh and is planning to lay off more workers 
as orders continue to slow. Geneva Steel has had to let go of over 500 
employees, and Northwestern Steel and Wire Company in my state of 
Illinois has said that it might have to let go as many as 450 workers 
because of these unfair trade practices. Even Acme Steel Company in 
Chicago has been forced to file for bankruptcy protection putting even 
more jobs in question.
  I have over 20 firms in my district that produce steel or steel 
products. Some of these firms are large corporations like Birmingham 
Steel whose mill in Joliet, Illinois employs almost 400 people, while 
others are small family owned businesses like Belson Scrap and Steel in 
Bourbonnais, Illinois with 110 employees. Without immediate action to 
stem the tide of this unfairly dumped steel, I fear that these steel 
producers and their workers will face severe harm.
  Mr. Speaker, both the steel industry and the steelworkers union have 
filed suit to stop these unfair practices, but, without swift action by 
the Administration to stop this unchecked flow of dumped steel, it may 
be too late for many of our steel companies and steel workers to wait 
for the courts resolution.
  The steel industry has rebounded from the financial difficulties of 
the 1980's that cost our country over 325,000 jobs. The American steel 
industry once in decline, now produces the lowest cost and highest 
quality steel on the planet. If we fail to ensure that American steel 
plays on a level playing field with the rest of the world, then we 
place American steel companies and American workers including the 400 
at Birmingham Steel and the 110 at Belson in my district in great harm.
  It's time to send a message to the Administration, foreign 
governments, and American workers, that this Congress will not stand 
idle when American jobs are at stake. I ask for your support for this 
industry and this important legislation.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute and 15 seconds.
  Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) earlier in his 
remarks talked about the ``Visclosky resolution.'' That was not the 
Visclosky resolution. That was a bipartisan resolution that the caucus 
agreed to. We had cosponsors of that resolution language on both sides.
  The gentleman from Ohio has had people losing their jobs as recently 
as 5 days ago: September 2, September 29, October 1, October 8.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I was referring to the privileged resolution 
that the gentleman from Indiana introduced, and he was the sponsor of 
that.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Which I sponsored, but which contained the bipartisan 
language.
  Mr. REGULA. Most of it, yes.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, most of the 
bipartisan language. So, this was not a partisan issue.
  The administration has not acted and that is why we are here tonight. 
The Commerce Department has not initiated its own investigation. The 
Trade Rep's office has not initiated its own investigation. Neither has 
the Commerce Department or Trade Rep office called for countervailing 
duties. No one in the administration has pressured the European Union 
to discuss sharing the burden of the financial crisis in Russia or 
Asia.
  Mr. Speaker, I will close my portion of the remarks by indicating 
that this is not the best all of us can do collectively. The best we 
can do collectively is to send this back to the committee of 
jurisdiction and tell them to do better on Wednesday.
  Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the chairman of the 
Committee on International Relations.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
English) for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H. Con. Res. 350 
calling on our President to promptly take all necessary measures to 
stop the dumping of foreign steel on our markets.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) and the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. English), sponsors of this measure, 
along with the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer), 
chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means.
  U.S. jobs are at stake if we fail to ensure that foreign markets 
discontinue the restriction of U.S. steel exports. The administration 
has told Congress that it is enforcing our trade laws vigorously. Well, 
foreign steel is still surging into our country from Asia and 
threatening the jobs of our steelworkers plus the future of our 
industry, that by all odds is the lowest cost, most efficient producer 
of steel in the entire world.
  I also call on the European Union to do its part to meet the ongoing 
crisis in Russia by opening its market to the import of Russian steel 
products. It should stop cutting back its imports from Russia, if it is 
to put in place a long-term solution to the global financial crisis.
  Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to support this important measure.

                              {time}  1830

  Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), a distinguished member of the 
Congressional Steel Caucus and a strong friend of steel.
  (Mr. ADERHOLT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Archer) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Crane) for their work 
to bring this resolution to the floor today.
  The United States steel industry is the most efficient and 
competitive in the world. Currently, however, the industry is in a 
crisis due to the dumping onto the U.S. markets of below-cost 
production of steel from countries in financial distress. Although I 
support this resolution, I strongly believe that we must have an 
immediate ban on certain foreign steel imports to give the U.S. steel 
industry a level playing field.
  My bill, 4762, which has 6 Republicans and 5 Democrats, does that. 
The current GATT agreement and the U.S. review process for trade 
complaints do nothing to help the families who have already lost their 
jobs. It is wrong to let American jobs die as part of a back-door 
foreign policy method for keeping foreign governments and economies 
afloat. By leaving our ports open to this flood of steel while Europe 
maintains trade barriers is exactly what we are doing.
  I urge the President to immediately stop this flood of foreign, 
unfairly priced steel. If our trade partners do not like it, let them 
file a case and go through the same lengthy bureaucratic process that 
we have to suffer. Seven steel company presidents, 12 Governors and the 
United Steelworkers of America have pleaded with the President to halt 
these imports.
  This resolution urges the President to engage Europe and Japan to end 
their trade barriers. I ask for everyone to support this resolution as 
a first step in an effort to give America's steelworkers a fair chance 
to compete.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).

[[Page H10637]]

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of steelworkers in the 
greater Cleveland area who work at LTV Steel and steelworkers 
everywhere across this country who realize that this crisis in steel is 
real.
  Workers are losing their jobs, plants are in danger of being shut 
down, but enforcement of our trade laws is not happening. Today we have 
the opportunity and the duty to ensure our protections for steel are 
enforced. But this concurrent resolution is weak. What are we afraid 
of?
  If not now, when is it appropriate to impose quantitative 
restrictions on steel imports? If not now, when is it appropriate to 
raise tariffs? What are we about if we allow our steelworkers to lose 
their jobs without taking emergency actions to protect them?
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGLISH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Indiana (Mr. Souder), a strong friend of steel.
  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania and 
the gentleman from Ohio for their leadership, and also my colleague 
from Indiana for his leadership, and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. 
Oberstar) for his part in this important issue, because we clearly see 
American steel companies being driven out of business with unfair 
market practices.
  We can talk as Republicans all we want about free trade, but, in 
fact, when you have people who cheat, who do not follow the rules, you 
cannot have free trade.
  I, too, wish this resolution were tougher, but the plain truth of the 
matter is we are at the end of the session. The Senate is not in 
session. The only thing we can do at this point is a resolution that 
puts us on record. This is the best we can do.
  If this resolution would go down, it would be a terrible sign because 
thus far we have been working in a bipartisan way between the two sides 
to try to point out to this administration and this Congress what is 
happening in the steel industry.
  This book, American Steel, which I would recommend to anyone, tells 
the details of the founding of NUCOR as well as what was later 
developed as Steel Dynamics in Indiana. Those two companies drove the 
price of steel down, yet they cannot compete because of this illegal 
dumping. We have put so many restrictions on our steel industry, yet 
they have been innovative.
  If we at times do not offer protection when other countries will not 
play fair, we will not have a steel industry. If we do not have a steel 
industry, how can we talk about national defense? How can we talk about 
being a strong Nation if we do not have something as fundamental as 
steel in this country? We cannot just produce hamburgers and CDs and 
the type of soft things, those are important, but steel is a 
foundational part of our country. We cannot lose this industry. This 
resolution puts us on record as a Congress. If it goes down, it will be 
a bad, bad signal.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant), my friend and the friend of 
everybody in economic risk in this country.
  (Mr. TRAFICANT asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, nearly all of the great economic 
improvement in the country has the fingerprints of one of America's 
great chairmen, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer). If there is a 
better Member than the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), I do not know 
him. My friend and neighbor from nearby western Pennsylvania, thank you 
for all the good things you have done for workers, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. English). So do not take my comments as an attack on 
you. I am fed up the way our Nation has handled trade matters.
  Specifically, we are mandated by the Constitution to regulate 
commerce with foreign nations. What we have not delegated to the White 
House, the White House has usurped.
  How, they say, can I oppose this resolution? It is nonbinding. The 
Democrats, it is nonbinding.
  Here is my position, here is simply why. They are both nonbinding. 
Why not make them specific? Why not direct the President to look at 
this issue? The issue today is not just trade, it is illegal trade.
  The steelworkers of America oppose this resolution because it does 
not specifically address dumping.
  The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) said there is so much surplus 
overseas and that we end up buying it all because no one else overseas 
seems to be taking this surplus. Well, that is not the only problem. 
This surplus is coming into our country below production cost. 
Attractive, is it not?
  Where is the specificity? Where is it coming from? Japan, Russia, 
Brazil. Let us talk about Japan. Every President since Richard Nixon 
threatened Japan with sanctions to open up their market and stop this 
illegal trade. Every one right up to William Jefferson Clinton. 
Evidently they never complied. I mean, that is a truthful statement. 
Workers are fed up.
  My community has been decimated, 55,000 steelworkers, Gonesville. And 
it is our fault.
  Let us look at Russia. We are now giving Russia foreign aid. Russia, 
subsidizing their industries, and the Communists are battling with 
Yeltsin. Who knows who might win? We are losing.
  Let us look at Brazil. We are going to shut the government down over 
an $18 billion bailout in the international monetary slush fund for 
Brazil. Brazil is taking our money. They are subsidizing their steel 
industry, and they are selling steel in the United States of America 
below their production cost.
  Mr. Speaker, I am not talking today about our resolution. I am 
talking about our failure to basically perform our constitutional 
mandate. We have allowed White House after White House after White 
House to negotiate with Communists, foreign leaders. The Constitution 
does not say we consult; the Constitution says we act.
  Specifically, I have before and will have before the House, if this 
is voted down, a very simple, straightforward resolution that I think 
the Committee on Ways and Means should bring out. It says, the 
administration should review every bit of steel coming into our 
country.
  Number two, we review and identify. If there is, in fact, illegal 
dumping, document it and impose a 1-year ban on anybody dumping 
illegally in our country. That includes Japan, Russia and Brazil.
  Number three, same as the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), put that 
task force together to closely monitor these imports in the future. And 
finally, report back by January 5, 1999, on the actions the executive 
branch expects to implement due to the fact that they have uncovered 
illegal dumping.
  We need some specificity. God Almighty here. Democrats with 
nonbinding resolutions; Republicans with nonbinding resolutions, 
nonbinding resolutions that are watered down, watered down, watered 
down without meaning, without focus, without law.
  Hell, if we were to do something, we would have brought out the 
Aderholt bill. I do not slam the Republican Party. I am not slamming 
the Democrats. It has happened on both sides.
  Do you know who I am slamming? All of the Congress. We have allowed 
the White House to conduct business, and, by God, they should do what 
the Congress of the United States says or veto it.
  I would appreciate a no vote on this resolution.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus).
  (Mr. BACHUS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the resolution.
  Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, normally I would be happy to associate myself with the 
remarks of the gentleman from Youngstown, and, in fact, most of what he 
said I agree with. But he put his finger on something that I think was 
critical when he said that our so-called watered-down resolution is 
watered down only in the sense that the other side's resolution is 
watered down. The Regula resolution does not specifically address 
dumping, nor does ours.
  However, ours does put this body on record focusing on this issue. 
This is,

[[Page H10638]]

contrary to what we have heard, the only vote we will get on this issue 
this session. So I want to make it clear here, a vote for this 
resolution is a vote for a strong domestic steel industry. The American 
Iron and Steel Institute supports this resolution. A vote against this 
resolution is a vote against the vital interests of every American 
steelworker whose job is at risk for illegal imports.
  Let us not make a distinction without a difference, as the other side 
has. Let us support jobs. Let us vote for this resolution as the one 
way of registering our will in favor of domestic steel.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Blunt). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. English) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
350.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas 
and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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