[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 26 (Thursday, March 1, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1749-S1753]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WELLSTONE (for himself, Mr. Dayton, Mr. Levin, and Ms. 
        Stabenow):
  S. 422. A bill to provide that, for purposes of certain trade 
remedies, imported semifinished steel slab shall be treated as like or 
directly competitive with taconite pellets; to the Committee on 
Finance.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I send a bill to the desk. This is a 
bill Senator Dayton and I are introducing today, and we are joined by 
Senators Levin and Stabenow.
  This legislation is a huge priority for Senator Dayton, and it is a 
huge priority for me. This is not abstract legislation. This is all 
about people whom we love and in whom we believe. This is about 
taconite. This is northeast Minnesota, the Iron Rangers. This is about 
our State.
  Senator Dayton and I are going to divide our time equally. I will 
follow Senator Dayton.
  Sometimes when we introduce legislation, it stays on the calendar, 
and other times we introduce legislation because we are determined in 
every way possible to look for ways to pass it, to work with the 
Department of Labor administratively on trade adjustment assistance.
  We are going to devote all of our efforts jointly to pass legislation 
and get some relief, some assistance for people who are going through 
such difficult times. I think our colleagues will support us in this 
effort. I yield the floor to Senator Dayton.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Minnesota, Mr. Dayton.
  Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I am proud to rise today to join with my 
very distinguished colleague and long-time friend, the senior Senator 
from Minnesota, Mr. Wellstone, to introduce with him the Taconite 
Workers Relief Act of 2001.
  That this legislation is even needed is a great American tragedy 
because this hard and dangerous work of iron ore mining and taconite 
production has bred a very special type of person. In Minnesota, we 
call them Iron Rangers. They are men and women who for generations have 
been hard-working, community-building, and patriotic Americans.
  The bitter irony in the title of this legislation is that these men 
and women do not want relief; they want work. Unfortunately, over the 
last 20 years, the trade policies of successive administrations have 
thrown thousands of them out of work, and they now threaten to 
extinguish the iron ore mining and taconite-producing industries in 
Minnesota entirely, as well as the basic steel-making industry 
throughout this country.

  Twenty years ago, this industry employed over 15,000 Minnesotans. 
Today, it is less than 5,000. Over 2,000 workers have been laid off in 
the last 2 years, and 1,400 of them come from one company, LTV, which 
has announced it is closing permanently.
  It is bad enough that U.S. trade policies have allowed, and even 
encouraged, this economic and social devastation which has caused 
immeasurable and unspeakable human devastation in northeastern 
Minnesota--broken lives, broken homes and families, severe depressions, 
even suicides. Yet adding the grievous offense to these terrible 
tragedies, the U.S. Government has also refused to allow these 
displaced workers the benefits, the job training, and other supports 
which Congress clearly intended when it passed the Trade Adjustment 
Assistance Act.
  In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor has consistently ruled that 
taconite pellets were not in direct competition with imports of 
semifinished steel or slab steel. That view is so ill-informed and 
absurd that it would be laughable if it were not for the further damage 
it has caused these already seriously harmed men and women. That makes 
such rulings inexcusable and trade adjustment assistance denials 
inhumane and even immoral.
  This legislation would make such denials illegal. It would establish 
the obvious: that the imports of semifinished steel, in addition to the 
continuous import of foreign steel and iron ore, are directly causing 
these job losses.
  It establishes that the illegal dumping of these products are within 
the province of the International Trade Commission which, I might add, 
is proven to be an ineffective protector of Minnesota industries and 
American jobs.
  This legislation, while needed to provide the assistance these 
workers need and deserve, is by no means a solution to the much larger 
problem of protecting this basic industry for the sake of our national 
economy, for the sake of our national security, and certainly for the 
sake of these dedicated men and women in Minnesota and elsewhere in the 
country who want to go to work, who want to earn a living, who want to 
contribute to the economic strength of this country and who, through 
misguided policies, are now being denied the opportunity to do so.
  I yield the floor to my colleague from Minnesota.

[[Page S1750]]

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that some 
letters from steelworkers and their families--without using last names, 
Barry, David, Lisa, Cliff, Joanne, and Lenore--be printed in the 
Record, along with a letter of support from John Swift, who is a 
commissioner of IRRRB, Jerry Fallos, USWA, which has just been ravaged 
by the LTV shutdown, Vince Lacer, who is mayor of the city of Aurora, 
and Richard Rojeski, USWA Local 2705, Chisholm, MN, along with letters 
from Louis Jondreau, Cleveland Cliffs Union Coordinator, and other 
letters of support from other steelworker local presidents throughout 
the range, along with a letter from David Foster, who is director of 
Steelworker District 11.
  There being no objection, the letters were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

     To: The Honorable Senator Wellstone and Senator Dayton.
     From: Barry.

       Gentlemen: I am writing this letter to you in support of 
     receiving Trade Readjustment Allowance for those that have 
     been displaced because of illegally dumped steel. I would 
     like to tell you a little about my situation and myself. I am 
     married with 3 daughters 2 cats and one dog. I am 40 years 
     old, my wife Kathy is 41, my oldest daughter Jamie is 18, 
     Allycia is 13, and my youngest daughter is Alexandra. She 
     likes to be called Alex and is 7 years old. My oldest 
     daughter Jamie is currently going to college, which has also 
     stressed our financial situation. We are determined to get 
     her through college. We live in a little town called Gilbert, 
     MN. I have helped coach Babe Ruth Baseball and am on the 
     United Way board of directors. I feel I do whatever I can to 
     contribute to try to strengthen or support the community. I 
     guess that is why I feel compelled to write to you about our 
     situation.
       LTV Steel Mining is the company that I used to work for. 
     The reason that I say used to work for is because LTV Steel 
     Corporation has announced that they are permanently closing 
     our plant because they cannot compete with cheap dumped 
     imported steel. There were approximately 1500 full time 
     employees working there. Except for just a handful of 
     employees to shut down the plant, the rest have been laid off 
     including myself.
       I would hope that you could seriously consider promoting 
     TRA Benefits for those of us that are laid off. When I heard 
     the announcement last spring, I immediately enrolled and took 
     courses at a local junior college. Fall semester came and I 
     went into a 2-year course called Automated Control 
     Technologies. It was a struggle going to school full time, 
     working full time, and trying to spend time with my family. I 
     did it. I guess that I just want to show an example of my 
     sincerity in trying to educate myself for whatever job the 
     future may have for me. I really believe that I need an 
     education now in order to market myself for employment. I am 
     currently in the first year of a 2-year course. I would need 
     one more year to get my diploma. The graduation date would be 
     around June of 2002. I would need a monetary benefit to 
     support my family while I continue my education. Then I 
     promise you that once I finish school, I will be back into 
     the workforce.
       I know that everything costs money but I believe that this 
     would be a good investment. The human element is the most 
     important factor in this equation. The financial assistance 
     that we need would strengthen our small rural areas and renew 
     our will and spirit. The opportunity to get an education 
     would help us make our transition into another employment 
     area. I am 40 years old and this could be my last chance to 
     be retrained. I am ready to take on the challenge but we need 
     your help. Our fate and future are in your hands. Thank you 
     for taking the time out to listen to me.
           Sincerely,
     Barry and Family.
                                  ____

                                   United Steelworkers of America,


                                Local Union 4108, District 11,

                                                       Aurora, MN.
       Dave and Lisa are both in their mid thirties. They have two 
     daughters, Haley seven and Nadia four. Two years ago Dave 
     injured his back at work and now has a partial permanent 
     disability. Dave was permanently laid off Friday and will 
     start collecting unemployment in two weeks. Dave is only one 
     of hundreds of laid off steelworkers who are in desperate 
     need of retraining. Dave will be out of unemployment and 
     medical benefits in six months.
       Cliff and Joanne have two teenage children. Cliff has 
     twenty years of service with LTV. Cliff was permanently laid 
     off last week. In six months Cliff will run out of 
     unemployment benefits and will not have any health benefits 
     in one year. Cliff's wife was recently diagnosed with breast 
     cancer, their main concern is health insurance. With the 
     proper retraining, Cliff would be able to get a good job that 
     would help with health insurance.
       Lenore is a single parent of a teenage son. She was just 
     permanently laid off from LTV. Lenore has a high school 
     education and general labor type skills she acquired from 
     working at the mine. She realizes that without the 
     opportunity to get retrained, she will have a difficult time 
     trying to get a decent paying job.
       These are just a couple of examples of some of the 1400 
     people that will be impacted by the shutdown of LTV.
       As of today 797 employee's have applied for retraining 
     through The Office Of Job Training. There are 189 people that 
     are currently taking some type of retraining classes. The 
     USWA/LTV Career Development Center has paid out over 
     $50,000.00 in tuition assistance and has used up their budget 
     for the entire year already. At the rate the money is being 
     spent we are afraid the entire grant of 2.1 million dollars 
     that the Office Of Job Training received for the LTV workers, 
     will be used up before everyone has an opportunity to use it.
                                  ____

                                            Iron Range Resources &


                                         Rehabilitation Board,

                                   Eveleth, MN, February 27, 2001.
     Hon. Paul Wellstone,
     U.S. Senator, Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC.
     Hon. Mark Dayton,
     U.S. Senator,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. James Oberstar,
     U.S. Representative, Rayburn House Office Building, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Wellstone, Senator Dayton and Congressman 
     Oberstar: I am writing to endorse the ``Taconite Workers' 
     Relief Act of 2001.'' Our agency believes it is of vital 
     importance that the taconite industry and its workers fully 
     benefit from our trade laws. The ``Taconite Workers' Relief 
     Act'' will enable Minnesota's working families on the Iron 
     Range to gain access to benefits and protections they need, 
     including Trade Adjustment Assistance.
       Every ton of semi-finished steel displaces 1.3 tons of 
     taconite in basic steel production. With U.S. imports of 
     semi-finished steel at all time highs and their prices at all 
     time lows, some domestic steel producers have turned to 
     dumped imports of steel slab, which has devastated the 
     taconite industry, and thousands of working families in 
     Minnesota. The injury caused by these imports is 
     unquestionable. Last month, production cutbacks ravaged the 
     U.S. iron ore industry: Northshore Mining Company announced 
     that it will cut 700,000 tons of production; U.S. Steel's 
     Minntac plant will cut 450,000 tons; the Hibbing Taconite 
     Company will cut 1.3 million tons of production; and LTV 
     Steel Mining Company closed its mining plant, permanently 
     eliminating 8 million tons of production and 1400 jobs.
       By all accounts, the taconite industry and its workers are 
     in crisis. We must enact the Taconite Workers Relief Act 
     immediately to protect and strengthen the industry and the 
     communities of northern Minnesota.
           Sincerely,
                                                       John Swift,
     Commissioner.
                                  ____

                                   United Steelworkers of America,


                                Local Union 4108, District 11,

                                    Aurora, MN, February 23, 2001.
       Dear Senators Wellstone, Dayton, and Congressman Oberstar: 
     I'm writing this letter on behalf of the 1200 employee's I 
     represent, that formally worked for LTV Steel Mining Company. 
     I can't begin to tell you how much your bill, the Taconite 
     Workers Relief Act, will mean to our members. As of today 900 
     employees were placed on permanent layoff. In six months 
     these people will be out of unemployment benefits and a lot 
     of them will be out of Health Benefits.
       As every one knows the continued flow of imported steel is 
     devastating not only the steel industry, but also the 
     taconite industry. The taconite plants in Minnesota and 
     across the country are in a crisis they may never recover 
     from. With the closure of LTV steel Mining Company and the 
     continued layoffs of miners from the six other mines it is 
     critical to the survival of the Iron Range that this 
     important piece of legislation gets passed. The benefits and 
     protection that would be gained from this, is a critical 
     piece of legislation to keep the people in Northern 
     Minnesota. If this legislation is adopted it will enable the 
     people to get the assistance and retraining they need to get 
     on with their lives. With the help of you and other 
     legislators, we can help prevent what happened in the early 
     80's, when there were massive layoffs across the range, and 
     people lost their homes, and families were torn apart.
       I know you have always said that our young people are our 
     greatest resource, with this legislation we can keep our 
     young people in Minnesota.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Jerry Fallos,
     President, Local 4108.
                                  ____



                                               City of Aurora,

                                    Aurora, MN, February 26, 2001.
     Senator Paul Wellstone,
     St. Paul, MN.
       Dear Senators Wellstone and Dayton and Congressman 
     Oberstar: I am writing to endorse the ``Taconite Workers' 
     Relief Act of 2001''. We believe it is of vital importance 
     that the taconite industry and its workers fully benefit from 
     our trade laws. The ``Taconite Workers' Relief Act of 2001'' 
     will enable Minnesota's working families on the Iron Range to 
     gain access to benefits and protections they need, including 
     Trade Adjustment Assistance.
       Every ton of semi-finished steel displaces 1.3 tons 
     taconite in basic steel production. With U.S. imports of 
     semi-finished steel at all time highs and their prices at all 
     time

[[Page S1751]]

     lows, domestic steel producers have turned to dumped imports 
     of steel slab, which has devastated the taconite industry, 
     and thousands of working families in Minnesota. The injury 
     caused by these imports is unquestionable. Last month, 
     production cutbacks ravaged the U.S. iron ore industry: 
     Northshore Mining Company announced that it will cut 700,000 
     tons of production; U.S. Steel's Minntac Plant will cut 
     450,000 tons; the Hibbing Taconite Company will cut 1.3 
     million tons of production; and LTV Steel Mining Company 
     closed its mining plant, permanently eliminating 8 million 
     tons of production and 1400 jobs.
       By all accounts, the taconite industry and its workers are 
     in crisis. We must enact the ``Taconite Workers Relief Act of 
     2001'' immediately to protect and strengthen the industry and 
     the communities of Northern Minnesota.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Vincent P. Lacer,
     Mayor.
                                  ____



                                              USWA Local 2705,

                                  Chisholm, MN, February 23, 2001.
     Senator Paul Wellstone,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Wellstone: I am writing to you today to thank 
     you and Senator Dayton for taking time out of your busy 
     schedules to come to the Iron Range and listen to our 
     concerns in the mining Industry. I would like to tell you 
     that I am in full support of the TAA recommendations and hope 
     that we can get this through the Senate.
       The importing of semi finished steel into this country is 
     detrimental to the economy of the Iron Range. We need to get 
     taconite pellets equal with semi-finished slabs and with the 
     bill that you are proposing on TAA recommendations I believe 
     will help the Taconite Industry and the Iron Range.
       Please continue to press our issue of unfairly imported or 
     dumped steel and semi-finished steel. With your help I know 
     that we will win this battle.
                                                  Richard Rojeski,
     President.
                                  ____



                               United Steelworkers of America,

                                  Chisholm, MN, February 23, 2001.
     Senator Paul Wellstone,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Wellstone: I am writing you today to thank you 
     and Senator Dayton for taking time out of your busy schedules 
     to come to the Iron Range and listen to our concerns about 
     the mining industry. I would like you to know that I am in 
     full support of the TAA recommendations and hope that we can 
     get this bill through the Senate.
       The importing of semi finished steel into this country is 
     detrimental to the Iron Range economy. We need to get 
     taconite pellets equal to semi-finished slabs and with the 
     bill that you are proposing on TAA recommendations I believe 
     will help the taconite industry and the Iron Range.
       Please continue to press our issue of unfairly imported or 
     dumped steel and semi-finished steel. With your help I know 
     that we will win this battle.
           Sincerely,
                                                Louis P. Jondreau,
     Cleveland Cliffs Union Coordinator.
                                  ____

                                             Local Union No. 6860,


                               United Steelworkers of America,

                                   Eveleth, MN, February 22, 2001.
       Dear Senator Wellstone: I am writing this letter in support 
     of the new legislation that you, Sen. Dayton and Rep. 
     Oberstar are introducing into the Senate and House of 
     Representatives on the illegal dumping of imports of semi-
     finished steel into the U.S. market.
       As you know, in June of 1999, EVTAC Mining laid off approx. 
     150 Bargaining Unit employees because of the illegal dumping 
     of imports of semi-finished steel into the U.S. market. I 
     attempted, thru your office and Rep. Oberstar's office to get 
     TAA/TRA benefits and was denied three (3) different times by 
     the Dept. of Labor because Pellets were considered to be not 
     alike, the same or not in direct competition with the imports 
     of semi-finished steel. At least half of these employees are 
     still in need of these benefits yet today.
       This law could change this or at least help other employees 
     in the future.
       I will do everything I can to help you, Sen. Dayton and 
     Rep. Oberstar get this Bill passed.
       Please feel free to call if I can help.
           In Solidarity,
                                                 Samuel H. Ricker,
     President.
                                  ____

                                   United Steelworkers of America,


                                                 District #11,

                               Minneapolis, MN, February 27, 2001.
     Senator Paul Wellstone,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Wellstone: I am writing to express my strong 
     support for your introduction of the Taconite Workers' Relief 
     Act which is designed to correct certain longstanding 
     inequities in American trade laws as they apply to the unique 
     situation of Minnesota and Michigan iron ore miners.
       As you know, northern Minnesota was settled over 100 years 
     ago by immigrant miners recruited from over 30 different 
     countries to mine what were then known as the world's richest 
     deposits of iron ore. The Mesabi Range fueled the industrial 
     development of North America throughout the 20th Century, 
     provided the raw material for the steel that won two world 
     wars, and contributed to building many of the nation's great 
     industrial fortunes. It likewise was typical of the ethnic 
     melting pots that created the archetypal American 
     communities--governed by strong family values, a sense of 
     fair play, self-reliance, and a belief that working together 
     we could shape our own future as we wished.
       The steelworkers who go to work every day in Minnesota's 
     iron ore mines, drilling, blasting, digging, hauling, 
     crushing, and refining millions of tons of taconite ore still 
     do so under remarkably harsh conditions. Twenty-four hours a 
     day, 365 days a year, working on graveyard shifts in wind 
     chills of 60 degrees below zero in the winter, as their 
     parents, grandparents and great-grandparents did, our members 
     are men and women with stamina and grit. We have always felt 
     capable of standing up for our families and ourselves.
       But now we need our government to stand up for our jobs and 
     our communities. Without the enactment of federal legislation 
     that prevents the illegal dumping of semi-finished steel 
     products in the U.S. which destroy the market for the iron 
     ore we mine, our jobs will be lost and our communities will 
     die. We need the Taconite Workers' Relief Act to be passed 
     immediately.
       Thank you for your efforts on our behalf.
           Sincerely,
                                                     David Foster,
     Director.
                                  ____



                                              City of Biwabik,

                                                      Biwabik, MN.
       Dear Senators Wellstone and Dayton and Congressman 
     Oberstar: I am writing to endorse the ``Taconite Workers' 
     Relief Act of 2001.'' We believe it is of vital importance 
     that the taconite industry and its workers fully benefit from 
     our trade laws. The ``Taconite Workers' Relief Act'' will 
     enable Minnesota's working families on the Iron Range to gain 
     access to benefits and protections they need, including Trade 
     Adjustment Assistance.
       Every ton of semi-finished steel displaces 1.3 tons of 
     taconite in basic steel production. With U.S. imports of 
     semi-finished steel at all time highs and their prices at all 
     time lows, domestic steel producers have turned to dumped 
     imports of steel slab, which has devastated the taconite 
     industry, and thousands of working families in Minnesota. The 
     injury caused by these imports is unquestionable. Last month, 
     production cutbacks ravaged the U.S. iron ore industry: 
     Northshore Mining Company announced that it will cut 700,000 
     tons of production, U.S. Steel's Minntac plant will cut 
     450,000 tons; Hibbing Taconite Company will cut 1.3 million 
     tons of production; and LTV Steel Mining Company closed its 
     mining plant, permanently eliminating 8 million tons of 
     production and 1400 jobs.
       As you may or may not know, this not only impacts the 
     direct employees of the taconite industry, but equally as 
     great the families, vendors, schools and communities that are 
     affected by these layoffs, production cutbacks and shutdowns. 
     This is an issue of today, not tomorrow.
       By all accounts, the taconite industry and its workers are 
     in crisis. We must enact the Taconite Workers' Relief Act 
     immediately to protect and strengthen the industry and the 
     communities of Northern MN.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Steve Bradach,
     Mayor.
                                  ____

                                   United Steelworkers of America,


                                                   Local 6115,

                                                     Virginia, MN.
       To whom it may concern: As a representative of workers at a 
     northern Minnesota mining operation, I feel you should know 
     the devastation on the lives of hard working individuals and 
     their families when our industry is shrinking, because of 
     unfairly traded steel and slabs. The downsizing of the steel 
     industry is a result of unfairly traded imports and we (the 
     mining industry) are doubly hit because of dumped slabs 
     coming into this country. Why won't an administration or law 
     help us or protect us with the same types of laws as the 
     other end of our industry? On behalf of our membership, I 
     would like to express our urgent support of Senator 
     Wellstone's ``Taconite Import Injury Adjustment Act of 
     2001.''
           Sincerely,
                                                      Marty Henry,
     President.
                                  ____

                                          Upper Peninsula Building


                                               Trades Council,

                                 Marquette, MI, February 28, 2001.
     Re: Taconite Workers Relief Act.

     Hon. Paul Wellstone,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Wellstone: I want to go on record thanking you 
     for introducing the Taconite Workers Relief Act. You well 
     know the various consequences resulting from the Free Market 
     Free-for-All occurring in the unprotected Steel Industry. Not 
     the least of these consequences are the hardships that come 
     down on the workers and their families who mine iron ore, the 
     basic ingredient in steel production.
       Those of us who provide construction services to the mines 
     also lose out when the profiteers dump steel, import cheap 
     iron ore, or otherwise take market steps that destroy our 
     basic industries in the united States. Our situation in the 
     Upper Peninsula of Michigan is that workers in the 
     construction industry

[[Page S1752]]

     will also suffer along with mining families as our steel and 
     iron ore industries are decimated by imports of one kind or 
     another.
       There is another related side issue that bothers me, too. 
     What happens to our national defense capabilities when the 
     United States no longer has the capacity to produce high 
     grade steel, has no iron ore industry remaining, and perhaps, 
     no longer has a friendly relationship with those who produce 
     steel? Would that scenario not invite belligerence from our 
     enemies?
       Thank you, Senator Wellstone, for your concern for all 
     workers.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Jon G. LaSalle,
     Field Representative.
                                  ____



                                        Stand Up For Iron Ore,

                                Ishperning, MI, February 28, 2001.
     Hon. Paul Wellstone,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Wellstone: I applaud your introduction of the 
     Taconite Workers Relief Act and offer you the full support 
     and encouragement of our organization, Stand Up For Iron Ore. 
     Your legislation will go a long way toward resolving the 
     problems we have come together to work on. As iron ore miners 
     and managers, vendors and suppliers, political and community 
     leaders we all have a stake in ensuring that our industry is 
     treated equally when trade cases are considered.
       The iron ranges in Michigan and Minnesota have long been 
     integral to that basic foundation of America's industrial 
     might, the steel industry. For over one hundred and fifty 
     years vibrant communities have grown up around the mines. 
     Miners have worked under dangerous, grueling conditions to 
     support their families. Mining companies and employees have 
     paid the taxes that support government efforts Keewatin to 
     Washington.
       I find it unconscionable that our industry has been ignored 
     as the impact of illegally traded steel has reverberated 
     through the economy. I thank you for attempting to rectify 
     this situation and I will do all I can to assist in rallying 
     support for your efforts.
           Respectfully,
                                                       Mike Prusi,
                                                      Coordinator.

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I thank Senator Dayton. This Taconite 
Workers Relief Act that we are introducing is also being introduced in 
the House of Representatives today by Congressman Oberstar.
  This legislation has two central objectives. The first is to make 
sure the taconite workers in the Iron Range in Minnesota, and taconite-
producing regions in Michigan, are eligible for trade adjustment 
assistance. The second provision says that the taconite industry and 
its workers should be fully brought under trade laws that, if enforced, 
provide some protection for our working families: section 201 cases, 
antidumping cases, and countervailing duty cases. I would like to take 
those one at a time.
  On trade adjustment assistance, I could not be more in agreement with 
my colleague, Senator Dayton, from Minnesota. The argument that has 
been made is that our taconite workers are not in competition with slab 
steel or semifinished steel and that could not be further from the 
truth in this highly integrated steel industry. We want to make sure we 
get this trade adjustment assistance to people, and the sooner the 
better. This is a matter of lifeline support. This is a matter of 
enabling a worker or workers to go to school, to get additional 
training, to have some support, to be able to keep their families 
going. It is unconscionable--I think Senators, Democrats and 
Republicans, will agree--that taconite workers now are not getting this 
protection.
  We will make the direct appeal to Secretary of Labor Chao, who seems 
to me to be a very good person--agree or disagree on policies--because 
I still think, Senator Dayton, that the Department of Labor can 
administratively provide this support. It has been done before. We hope 
it can be done again. We will make the direct appeal. We will work very 
hard at this administratively.
  But if we cannot do it that way, we will come out on the floor of the 
Senate with an amendment, with a separate bill--however we best do it--
to make sure we can get this trade adjustment assistance for taconite 
workers in Minnesota and in Michigan as well.
  The other part of it deals with the whole question of trade laws and 
making sure for taconite workers--and, for that matter, steelworkers in 
general, because they are not, Senator Dayton, getting the protection 
they deserve right now--that we really apply section 201 and really 
look at the whole problem of other countries illegally dumping steel 
and semifinished steel on our market way below the cost of production; 
and our taking action.
  What is Government for, if not to be on the side of hard-working 
people. I say to my colleagues, you will not find a stronger work ethic 
or a group of citizens who work harder than those on the Iron Range. 
You cannot if you go anywhere in the country. The taconite workers fit 
everything we say on the floor of the Senate about what we think is 
important about America. They are people who work, work under tough 
conditions, are absolutely committed to supporting their families, and 
through no fault of their own they are out of work.
  So I say to Senator Dayton, and I would like to go back and forth 
with him in discussion in the time we have, I would say this is a 
short-run solution and then we will be trying to get to the bottom of 
this. In the short run, we want to make sure the assistance is there 
for the taconite workers. This is about survival. This is about 
supporting people who desperately need the help.
  The other thing we want to do is get it right on trade on the Iron 
Range in Minnesota, and I am sure the same is true for Michigan. 
Frankly, I think about steelworkers and think about auto workers and I 
think about industrial workers all across our country. Our workers are 
not asking for any kind of isolationist policy. Our workers are more 
than willing to compete in an international economy. But we want trade 
laws that give us a level playing field.
  When you have a situation where you have really what amounts to 
illegal dumping of cheap semifinished steel or steel on the market or 
when you have children working under deplorable working conditions, 
with nothing done about that, we have to figure out a way that this new 
global economy works for working people--works for working people in 
Brazil, works for working people in Russia, works for working people in 
South Korea, but also works for working people in the Iron Range of 
Minnesota and all across our country.
  We are committed to both fronts. I say to Senator Dayton, initially 
we want to get this assistance to people right away, immediately. Then 
we want to get colleagues engaged in this debate on trade policy which 
is so important when it comes to what crucially affects the lives of 
people.
  I ask my colleague from Minnesota, if I can, whether he would be 
willing to reflect with me on the floor of the Senate on some of the 
meetings he has had in the range, just some of the conversations with 
people and what this all means to Iron Rangers in personal terms. What 
has been your experience meeting with steelworkers and others? I ask my 
colleague that question.
  Mr. DAYTON. I agree with you, Senator Wellstone. People up there are 
suffering enormously because of these tragedies. To look in their 
faces, to see the pain and suffering, to see fathers and mothers who 
cannot support their families, who are losing not only their homes but 
their jobs and way of life--as you know, Senator, thousands of people 
from across the Iron Range have had to leave the area where they were 
born, where their families have lived for generations, because they 
cannot find work there.
  We are losing especially the youngest. In fact, part of a whole 
generation of Minnesotans have had to leave the Iron Range because of 
the lack of job opportunities. The average age of a citizen now in 
northeastern Minnesota is over the age of 55. Over half the citizens 
who reside there are senior citizens. This kind of devastation is 
really unspeakable, unfair, and, as I say, it is a consequence of over 
20 years of what I believe are misguided trade policies.
  I agree with my distinguished colleague, the senior Senator from 
Minnesota, that we should be looking forward to working with the new 
Secretary of Labor, the new ambassador, and the international trade 
ambassador. They are not the architects of these policies. Hopefully, 
with a new administration, we can work together because at least the 
trade adjustment assistance benefits, the program itself--this is 
clearly, precisely what was intended by Congress when it was passed. It 
is just unconscionable that it has not been provided administratively 
already.
  I agree with you that should be an option. But in the broader context 
of these policies, before these industries are wiped out in the United 
States, I

[[Page S1753]]

hope the administration will take a serious look at them. I yield back 
to my colleague.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. I say to my colleague, he is absolutely right. There 
have been a number of meetings I have been at and I know the same 
applies to Senator Dayton. I can remember one. It was right before 
Christmas. It was a meeting in Aurora. There were a lot of people 
there, a lot of the steelworkers, taconite workers, and also some of 
their families. I was asking people, besides legislation, what else can 
be done? This is the first time this has ever happened in the Iron 
Range, at least in the 20 or 25 years I have been up there. Senator 
Dayton, this one fairly young worker stood up and he said: We need help 
for Christmas presents.

  I never heard that before. When people were working, they made good 
wages and had health care benefits. Now they are worried about 
presents.
  On the other issue that we are going to come up with, I don't know 
what the position of the administration will be. I think the Clinton 
administration was not strong enough at all. I am very skeptical about 
where the Bush administration is going to go, but we are going to push 
very hard, and where we can cooperate with them, we will do so; no 
question about it.
  One of the terrible issues when we get to the bankruptcy bill soon is 
that for younger workers, next to losing their jobs, the next worst 
thing is health care. You are losing your job, but then you are scared 
to death about what is going to happen to health care coverage with 
your children.
  For the younger workers who have been laid off in the case of the LTV 
mine shutting down, in a few months, they lose their health benefits; 
for the older workers who have worked a little longer, 1 year.
  Maybe the Senator would want to respond to this.
  Then there are the retirees. What I heard from the retirees was they 
are terrified LTV will file for chapter 7 and walk away from any health 
care. A lot of those retirees--too many I think--are struggling with 
cancer.
  Did the Senator find that people were talking about health care as 
well when he met with them, and does he think that is yet another issue 
we ought to focus on?
  Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I agree with Senator Wellstone. He points 
to a couple of other failures of our society. As he said, there is a 
lack of health coverage for families when someone loses their job 
through no choice or fault of their own. That is one of the great 
travesties of this situation. It takes what is an already awful 
situation and makes it even more destructive to an individual. It is 
bad enough when people can't afford Christmas presents, but then they 
cannot afford to take their child to a doctor and cannot afford to have 
their own health problems diagnosed on a timely basis. When they cannot 
afford to get surgery, then it becomes a problem this country and 
society should not allow.
  I underscore the Senator's point that he made a short while ago. 
There was a janitor's position that opened up to take care of all sorts 
of restrooms and everything else in one of the county buildings and, 
that paid less than $7 an hour. There were over 300 applicants for that 
one position.
  It underscores again how hard it is for people who want to work and 
are willing to work at anything rather than take a handout and relief.
  It is basic humanity to offer assistance.
  Again, I hope to work with the Senator so that we can pass this 
legislation. The administration must acknowledge their failure to 
provide assistance to the men and women of the Iron Range who want to 
contribute to the economic strength of this country.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I look forward to working with my 
colleague, Senator Dayton, on this. I think two Senators from the same 
State who care deeply about people who are really hurting and who love 
northeastern Minnesota are going to give this every bit of effort. I am 
really looking forward to working with the Senator on this. I so much 
want to help people.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to join with my colleagues 
from Michigan and Minnesota in sponsoring the Taconite Workers Relief 
Act of 2001. This is an important piece of legislation for the future 
of our States' taconite iron ore mines and their employees which are 
facing a severe import crisis that is threatening to put them out of 
business. Enactment of this legislation will simply allow an industry 
providing a key input into finished steel to use existing trade laws to 
fight back against harmful import surges and dumped steel as other 
sectors of the steel industry may currently do under existing trade 
law.
  Taconite, iron ore, is an input into basic steel production and is 
displaced when semi-finished steel slab are imported. For example, one 
ton of semi-finished steel displaces 1.3 tons of iron ore in basic 
steel production.
  Unfairly traded steel imports are overwhelming U.S. production, 
threatening to endanger both our national defense and manufacturing 
base. Recently, steel producers have found it cheaper to import semi-
finished steel slabs than to make it themselves using iron ore from 
Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Minnesota. Unfortunately, if our 
taconite mines are overwhelmed by cheap imports and driven to 
bankruptcy, we will lose our capacity to make steel without depending 
on foreign sources of semi-finished steel. In effect, if we lose our 
taconite mining industry, we lose our domestic integrated steel 
manufacturing capabilities. For national security reasons, I don't 
think that is something we want to do.
  This crisis particularly impacts Michigan and Minnesota. The taconite 
iron ore mines located there are a foundation of the economies in the 
communities where they are located. To make matters worse, the iron ore 
industry faces a unique problem in trying to combat these harmful and 
unfair trade practices. Although its workers are losing their jobs to 
cheap and probably illegally dumped imports, they cannot fight back 
using our trade laws that were specifically designed to deal with these 
situations.
  This is because of how our trade laws have been interpreted in the 
past and the failure to recognize the U.S. iron ore industry's standing 
to file import relief cases against foreign producers of semi-finished 
steel. For example, under previous interpretations of U.S. trade laws, 
iron ore is not considered an article that is ``like or directly 
competitive'' with an imported article that is found to be a 
substantial cause of serious injury, or threat, to the domestic 
industry, even though it is a key input in making finished steel. This 
is clearly an oversight that should be corrected. The bill we are 
introducing today will achieve that goal.
  This legislation would ensure that the taconite industry and its 
employees fully benefit from the protection of section 201, anti-
dumping and countervailing duties laws as well as making its displaced 
employees eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance. It does this by 
designating Taconite pellets as ``like or directly competitive with 
semi-finished steel slab'' for the purposes of eligibility for TAA and 
Section 201 remedies. It also would consider imported semi-finished 
steel slab eligible for countervailing duties, CVD, which are duties 
intended to provide relief to a domestic industry, taconite, that has 
been injured by subsidized imports, such as semi-finished steel, and 
for anti- dumping remedies.
  I hope the Senate will recognize the fairness in giving parity to a 
critical sector of the steel industry that has been overlooked in the 
past and should not be forgotten now. There is too much at stake to let 
this industry go under.
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