United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo Gerard weighed in today in Huffington Post on the Alliance for American Manufacturing's (AAM) new report on homeland security.

Calling it a "damning" report, Gerard says America has endangered itself by allowing both its manufacturing sector and its infrastructure, like dams, roads, and bridges, to deteriorate.

Specifically, AAM's report, co-authored by Gov. Tom Ridge (the first Secretary of Homeland Security) and Col. Robert B. Stephan (a former Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security), found that America urgently needs to restore key infrastructure such as its electrical grid, public water and sewer systems, railroads, bridges, and dams. The report also advocates a rebuilding of these key areas by using American-made steel, concrete, glass, and aluminum.

Gerard says thet the result would be "a nation more capable of fending off and recovering from natural and man-made disasters. And it would be a nation with a stronger economy based on a solid manufacturing base."

Click here to read the full report.