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President Bush, Enforce our Trade Laws

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Section 421 case on standard pipe was filed on August 2, 2005 by 7 U.S. producers and the United Steelworkers (USW) at the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). The ITC held an injury hearing on September 16, 2005. The ITC issued an affirmative (4-2) injury vote on October 3, 2005 and found that imports of standard pipe from China caused market disruption to the industry.

Products covered in the 421 case are welded circular non-alloy standard and structural pipe used for plumbing, sprinkler systems, fencing and construction.

The ITC found that in 2005 the average selling price of Chinese pipe was 3.7% below U.S. producers’ average cost of raw materials. Imports from China of circular welded non-alloy steel pipe, or “standard pipe,” have surged from 10,000 tons in 2002 to 270,000 tons in 2004 and are on track to exceed 380,000 tons in 2005. No U.S. manufacturer or farmer can compete with imports sold at prices below their costs of acquiring raw materials.

The USW represents most of the 2,500 pipe workers employed at the affected companies who filed the petition: Allied Tube & Conduit Corp.; IPSCO Tubulars Inc.; Maruichi American Corp.; Maverick Tube Corp.; Sharon Tube Co.; Western Tube & Conduit Corp.; and Wheatland Tube Co. These companies operate plants in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

Under Section 421 of the U.S. trade law passed by Congress in 2000, the U.S. trade representative reviews injury findings of the International Trade Commission and forwards its recommendation by Dec. 15 to the president, who is due to make a decision by Dec. 30.

A bipartisan group of 20 Senators and 61 House Members has written President Bush urging that an annual quota of 90,000 tons be imposed on imports of steel pipe from China.

Under the Section 421 process, the Trade Policy Staff Committee will recommend what steps the president should take by Dec. 15. Bush has the final say on what trade restrictions, if any, will be imposed, and is due to decide by Dec. 30.

Call the White House @ 202-456-1111, Ask the President to enforce our trade laws and to grant quota relief under Section 421 to the Pipe and Tube Industries, their workers, and their families.

Don’t let our Jobs go Down the Tubes!

Please do it today.
Thanks.