Ohio Senators Urge Commerce to Issue Findings Quickly in Section 232 Steel Investigation
Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown (D) and Rob Portman (R) became the latest voices to push the Trump administration to complete its Section 232 investigation on steel imports as quickly as possible, urging Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in a Sept. 15 letter to “prevent further damage to the U.S. steel sector.” Ross originally said his department planned to finish the probe by June 30. By law, Section 232 investigations must conclude within 270 days, meaning the current one must be complete by Jan. 14, 2018. The Commerce Department began the investigation in April (see 1704200029). Steel imports rose 25 percent year-over-year during the first six months of 2017, as foreign producers are seeking to export steel to the U.S. before the Trump administration can impose any remedy, the senators said. Legally, remedies could include tariffs or quotas.
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Rebar imports swelled by 84 percent, cold-rolled steel imports increased 32 percent, and oil country tubular goods imports grew 19 percent from May to June, while OCTG imports increased by "an astounding" 248 percent during the first six months of 2017 compared with the same period last year, Portman and Brown said. Grain-oriented electrical steel imports from Japan, South Korea and China rose by over 150 percent during the first five months of 2017, the letter says. “These import levels are unsustainable for U.S. companies and their workers,” the senators wrote. “Unfortunately, the steel sector expects them to continue to increase unless a conclusion of the Section 232 investigation is reached immediately.” United Steelworkers in July urged the Trump administration to take Section 232 action against steel, also citing a spike in imports (see 1707260037). A group of 31 steel industry executives (see 1708250007) and the American Line Pipe Producers Association (see 1709070053) are among other entities urging quick action. Commerce didn’t comment.