[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 100 (Thursday, July 15, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8533-S8534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        THE STEEL IMPORT CRISIS: ANOTHER 1,800 U.S. JOBS AT RISK

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I thank the Chair.
  For months now, I and many of my colleagues, including the very 
distinguished senior Senator from Pennsylvania, Mr. Specter, have been 
alerting this Congress to the devastating nature of the steel import 
crisis that has plagued this Nation since the end of 1997.
  A year and a half later, in yesterday's Wheeling Intelligencer 
headlines, we see the statement: ``Sixth Steelmaker Claims 
Bankruptcy.'' Let me repeat that headline from the Wheeling, WV, 
newspaper: a sixth U.S. steel mill has declared bankruptcy.
  With that announcement, U.S. steelworkers in West Virginia, and 
elsewhere, are wondering when the Clinton administration and this 
Congress will realize that enough is enough. I have no doubt that the 
1,800 people who are employed at Gulf States Steel, Inc., in Gadsden, 
AL--the sixth U.S. steel mill to declare bankruptcy since the steel 
import crisis began--are also wondering why no one is acting on a long-
term basis to prevent the illegal steel dumping that has jeopardized 
their jobs.
  I say enough is enough. Six companies declare bankruptcy, more than 
6,200 jobs are jeopardized, and this Administration and this Congress 
still fail to act:
  1,800 jobs in Gadsden, Alabama;
  200 jobs in Alton, Illinois;
  140 jobs in Holsapple, Pennsylvania;
  2,400 jobs in Vineyard, Utah; and
  540 jobs in Washington, Pennsylvania, and Massillon, Ohio.
  For those who believe that the steel industry is not in difficulty, 
tell it to these families. Tell it to those workers who have lost their 
jobs. These men and women and their families are the human faces of the 
steel crisis. They are not just numbers. They are not just statistics. 
These are real faces. These are real men and women. These are real 
children of the steel crisis.

  While we do nothing, the list of the victims of the steel import 
crisis grows ever longer. I hear from U.S. steelworkers. They want to 
know how many more bankruptcies it will take to make the President of 
the United States and the Congress understand that immediate action 
must be taken against the tide of cheap and illegal steel imports into 
this country. How many more U.S. jobs must be lost before we tell our 
trading partners that enough is enough?
  We already know that there will be no quota bill passed by this 
Congress. The House passed a quota bill. The Senate has not passed a 
quota bill and will not pass a quota bill. Penalties are not likely 
against Brazil and Russia, even though the Commerce Department and the 
International Trade Commission found them to be guilty of dumping steel 
illegally on American shores. Instead of finding a long-term, global 
solution, this administration chooses to promote piecemeal solutions 
and negotiate suspension agreements with those two countries. Changes 
in U.S. trade laws to strengthen enforcement seem even more unlikely.
  According to the Wheeling, WV, Intelligencer, the U.S. steel industry 
is still holding on to the thin hope that the steel loan guarantee 
program, which the Senate has already approved twice, will quickly, 
hopefully, be approved in the House of Representatives. While this is 
only a short-term program to help U.S. steel mills that have been hurt 
by the steel import crisis, I thank my colleagues for passing the 
Emergency Steel Loan Guarantee Program, authored by me, and a similar 
program, the Emergency Oil and Gas Guaranteed Loan Program, authored by 
Senator Domenici.
  On June 21, the Senate requested a conference with the House on H.R. 
1664, which contains the steel loan guarantee and the oil and gas loan 
guarantee, and conferees have been appointed by the Senate. I am 
hopeful that this conference will take place soon, and we have every 
right to expect that that conference will take place soon.
  There was a commitment entered into not too long ago, at the time the 
emergency supplemental appropriations bill was in conference between 
the two Houses. A commitment was entered into by the leadership of both 
the House and Senate to call up the bill in the Senate. That was done. 
The majority leader of the Senate and the minority leader kept their 
commitments. The bill was called up in the Senate, and the steel loan 
guarantee program and the oil and gas loan guarantee program were 
passed by the Senate for the second time and sent to the House. It is 
to be expected that a conference will take place, as the Senate has 
requested. Hopefully, that conference will then meet and act, and act 
quickly, and hopefully, further, both Houses will quickly adopt a 
conference report and send it on to the President for his signature.
  Illegal steel dumping has created exigent circumstances for the U.S. 
steel industry, and the loan guarantees will provide help to companies, 
small and middle-sized steel companies that employ thousands of hard-
working Americans. These loan guarantees would work through the private 
market, help to sustain good-paying jobs, support our national 
security, and save taxpayers millions of dollars from lost tax revenues 
and increased public assistance payments for things such 
as unemployment compensation, food stamps, and worker retraining.

  The fate of the loan programs rests today in the hands of the U.S. 
House of Representatives. With great respect, I urge the House to act 
quickly. On behalf of U.S. steel mills and U.S. steelworkers, for those 
1,800 steelworkers at great risk with Gulf States Steel in Alabama, for 
the thousands of other steelworkers and their families across the 
country who cry out for help, I urge the other body to take action and 
to support the Emergency Steel Loan Guarantee Program.
  Mr. President, how much time do I have remaining?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator has 5 minutes 28 seconds 
remaining.
  Mr. BYRD. Does the distinguished Senator from Alabama wish time?
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, if I could interrupt my friend from West 
Virginia, the Senator from Maine has requested 5 minutes and there 
isn't time left for that unless he would yield to the Senator. 
Otherwise, she would--
  Mr. BYRD. I would be very happy to yield to the Senator. First, I 
would like

[[Page S8534]]

to inquire of the distinguished Senator from Alabama if he wishes some 
of my time.
  Mr. SESSIONS. I thank the Senator from West Virginia. I do not. I 
expect to follow the Senator from New Hampshire. I do not seek the 
floor now.
  Mr. BYRD. I thank the Senator.
  Mr. SESSIONS. I do appreciate the leadership of the Senator from West 
Virginia on the steel question. It is important; a company in critical 
condition, with 1,800 employees in Alabama and a 30-year record of 
business success, which has, in just the last week, gone into 
bankruptcy.
  And I do believe the loan guarantee could help save that historic 
company. I thank the Senator for his leadership.
  Mr. BYRD. I thank the distinguished Senator. With my remaining time, 
I am very glad to yield to the Senator from Maine, Ms. Snowe, if she 
wishes to have my remaining minutes.
  Ms. SNOWE. I thank the Senator from West Virginia. I appreciate that. 
How much time remains?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Four minutes 4 seconds.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that in addition to 
the 4 minutes she would be receiving from the Senator from West 
Virginia, the Senator from Maine receive 5 additional minutes in 
morning business.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I don't want to be obstreperous, but we have 
to get to the bill. That is why I urged the Senator from West Virginia 
to give his time to the Senator from Maine. I have no problem with 
that. But as far as extending time, it would have to come off the bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is objection. Does the Senator from 
Maine desire to have the remaining time?
  Ms. SNOWE. Yes, I do. I thank the Senator from West Virginia for 
yielding.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, my time is rapidly dwindling. I would like 
to know whether or not she wishes my remaining time.
  Ms. SNOWE. Yes.
  Mr. BYRD. I ask unanimous consent that my remaining time may be 
allotted to the Senator from Maine.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from Maine is recognized.

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