Commerce Department releases Section 232 national security reports
The Commerce Department recommends global tariffs, targeted tariffs or quotas to counter "threatening" steel and aluminum imports, according to the Section 232 national security reports released Friday. The president has until mid-April to decide which action to take, if any.
The findings also show that the U.S. imports more steel than any other country and at least 10 furnaces have closed since 2000, with steel employment dropping 35 percent since 1998.
Said Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) President Scott Paul:
"Trump is one step away from taking historic action to defend American jobs and security.
"We believe the action must be broad, robust and comprehensive, and the Commerce Department report makes a compelling case for immediate action.
"Any exclusions deserve appropriate scrutiny. Otherwise, the Washington swamp will be filled with importers trying to undermine American jobs.
"American workers are counting on President Trump to stand up for them.”
Scott Paul who testified about the Section 232 investigations at a Friday Senate Finance subcommittee hearing, recently joined TIME magazine's Molly Ball on a trip to Coatesville, Pa., home to the nation's longest continuously operating steel plant. It is also one of at least two Pennsylvania steel facilities that announced layoffs since the Section 232 investigation began. To hear from these and other workers facing layoffs, visit Time.com and AmericanManufacturing.org.