CITAC STEEL TASK FORCE COMMENDS MANUFACTURERS'
ASSOCIATION FOR REVIEW OF POSITION ON STEEL TARIFFS

Steel users devastated by 201 push for change in policy

Washington, D.C. - Member companies of the Consuming Industries Trade Action Coalition (CITAC) Steel Task Force reacted positively to the National Association of Manufacturers' (NAM) announcement that it will move to reconsider its long-standing neutral position on the Section 201 steel tariffs, allowing its trade policy committee to review the measure.

"We are very encouraged by NAM's decision to reexamine its stance on steel tariffs imposed by the Bush Administration in March," said Jon Jenson, President of the Consuming Industries Trade Action Coalition (CITAC).

"The tariffs, combined with the unending onslaught of dumping cases brought by U.S. steel producers have created an environment in which small companies are losing business fast," said Jenson. "Steel-using businesses, a great many of which are NAM members, are facing severe shortages, lengthy delays, and skyrocketing price hikes … and it's only getting worse."

CITAC Steel Task Force members from eighteen states recently met with dozens of members of Congress and Bush Administration officials in Washington, DC to voice their outrage over the 201 tariffs. Task Force members discussed the impact of the tariffs on their businesses and urged Members of Congress to support lifting the tariffs as soon as possible. Several steel consumers also testified in a House Small Business Committee Hearing about the unintended consequences of the 201 steel tariffs.

Jenson continued, "We are telling our elected representatives they need to represent the majority more effectively. Steel consuming workers outnumber steelworkers 59 to 1 and they intend to be heard in next month's elections." Jenson has repeatedly stressed that CITAC will do everything it can to end the tariffs before the midpoint review, scheduled for September 2003.

"We hope NAM will look closely at the evidence that points to a serious crisis in steel-consuming sectors and decide to support the small steel-using companies who make up the majority of the Association's membership," said Jenson.