U.S. Sen. Katie Britt joined a bipartisan group of 12 Senate colleagues in a letter to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai urging them to take action against a surge of Mexican steel imports.
In addition to raising concerns in America’s steel industry and in steel communities such as those in Alabama, the surge violates a 2019 agreement between the United States and Mexico, the senators said. The letter contends that the United States deserves, and should demand, fair treatment from all trading partners.
“We urge the Biden administration to immediately begin consultations under the 2019 agreement to address this surge of Mexican steel and return imports to ‘historic volumes of trade,’ with quotas, if necessary,” the senators wrote. “However, if the Mexican government refuses to remedy this breach, we regretfully urge the administration to consider other mechanisms to ensure compliance and protect American jobs, including the reapplication of Section 232 tariffs.”
Britt (R-Montgomery), ranking member of the Homeland Security subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, said the issue also is one of national security, as well as economic.
“The Administration has a responsibility to strongly enforce trade agreements to ensure fairness for hardworking Americans,” she said. “This unprecedented, unacceptable surge in Mexican steel imports is endangering good-paying Alabama jobs and negatively impacting communities across our nation.
“Additionally, our domestic iron and steel industry is critical for our national security. I will continue to fight to grow opportunities for families in every corner of Alabama and America, while keeping our homeland safe and strong.”
Alabama’s iron and steel industry, which is an original economic engine for the state and remains vibrant today, directly supports approximately 15,000 jobs and indirectly supports more than 76,000 jobs, including subcontractors and suppliers. The average annual Alabama wage in the industry is nearly $100,000. The creation of two Alabama iron and steel industry jobs also creates 10 jobs throughout the supply chain.
Joining Britt and Cotton in signing the letter were Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio).
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