[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 18 (Tuesday, February 2, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E118-E119]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     STOP ILLEGAL STEEL IMPORTS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 2, 1999

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I'm so glad to see so many people from both 
sides of the aisle supporting the Stop Illegal Steel Imports Act today.
  Bethlehem Steel in my hometown of Baltimore and the other great 
American steel manufacturers have proven that they can take a

[[Page E119]]

punch and come back strong. The American steel industry is the Rocky 
Balboa of the global market.
  None of us will forget those difficult days 15 years ago when 
American steel was on the ropes. We had become too content with the 
status quo and our overseas competitors exploited this. But management 
and unions worked together and American steel was reborn.
  We have seen real and significant growth since then. In my district, 
Beth Steel cranks out 9,000 to 10,000 tons of quality American steel a 
day!
  That's 9,000 to 10,000 tons of quality steel a day when operating 
under normal conditions. But these days things are anything but normal. 
Steel producers in our country are decreasing production, laying off 
workers, and reporting losses.
  I understand that there are serious economic problems around the 
world--problems that are already affecting us. But we must protect our 
businesses, our employees and our country first.
  The American steel industry has done nothing wrong. It shouldn't pay 
the price for other countries' mistakes.
  I'm proud to be here to stand up for steel and my friends who produce 
it. This is an industry rich in tradition. This is an industry which 
literally made this country. From the Golden Gate Bridge to the Alaskan 
oil pipeline--Baltimore's Beth Steel has been there.
  This industry has proved it can take a punch. But it shouldn't have 
to weather a storm of low blows, which is what this foreign dumping 
amounts to.
  This has nothing to do with protectionism. Insisting that our trading 
partners adhere to international law and play by the rules is not 
protectionism. I'd call it something much simpler: it's called 
fairness.
  It's not fair that Beth Steel lost $23 million in the last quarter 
because of these low blows. The bill we're here to introduce today 
would become the referee in a fair fight.
  We want the amount of steel imported into the United States to return 
to the rates we saw last summer when the global steel industry competed 
on a level playing field.
  This industry is being forced to fight with one arm tied behind its 
back. It's taking a pummeling. Congress should release the other hand.
  Pass this bill, let this industry fight fairly and, believe me, Rocky 
will win another.

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