Washington D.C. –U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) is the ranking senator on the Homeland Security subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, together and senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and 11 Senate co-senators, just sent an email addressed to the Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai urging them to adopt a policy to stop the unsustainable increase in Mexican steel exports.
Along with raising serious concern in the steel industry of America and communities of steel like those in Alabama The increase in steel production is also in breach of a deal signed in 2019 with the United States and Mexico. The letter states that the United States deserves, and ought to demand an equal treatment from all trading partners, which includes its allies.
“We strongly urge for the Biden administration immediately to commence discussions under the agreement of 2019 to tackle the influx of Mexican steel and restore imports to historic volumes of trade’ and with quotas if required,” the Senators wrote. “However should the Mexican government does not take action to correct this infringement we urge the administration to think of alternative mechanisms for ensuring compliance, and to safeguard American jobs, such as the renewal the Section 232 tariffs.”
“The Administration has a duty to ensure that the trade agreement to guarantee fairness to hardworking Americans,” said U.S. Senator Katie Britt. “This unimaginable, inexplicably high increase that has occurred in Mexican steel imports threatens well-paying Alabama jobs, and negatively affecting communities across America. Furthermore, our national steel and iron industries are vital to our national security. I will fight to create opportunities for families from every part of Alabama and America as we work to keep our nation secure and strong. .”
The steel and iron industry of Alabama was the first economy engine of the state that continues to thrive in the present, directly supports around 15,000 jobs , and indirectly more than 76,000 employees which includes subcontractors and suppliers. The annual average Alabama salary in the industry is close to 100,000. In addition, the creation of 2 Alabama industries of steel and iron creates 10 new jobs across all of the chain.
Alongside Senators Britt as well as Cotton who signed the letter included Senators 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).
The complete content of the letter can be located on this page .
Senator Britt is also an active participant in the National Security and International Trade and Finance Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
