SMA President Philip K. Bell issued the following statement today:

“The Steel Manufacturers Association applauds Ambassador Greer’s leadership in taking on one of the biggest threats facing American industrial might, China’s government-driven steel overcapacity. For too long, China flooded the world with dirt-cheap, unfairly traded steel, shuttering plants, killing good-paying jobs, and gutting communities here at home.

“President Trump and Ambassador Greer, the U.S. trade representative, stood tall for America’s steelmakers. Their action to strengthen the Section 232 steel tariff gave U.S. producers the certainty they needed to invest more than $25 billion to modernize and expand American-made steel production.

“But as Ambassador Greer said this week, the fight isn’t over. China produces far more steel than it can ever use, dumping 118 million tons on the global market last year alone. That record is predicted to climb even higher this year, putting steelworkers everywhere at risk.

“It’s time for action, not talk. A strong global framework to stop unfair overproduction and hold bad actors accountable is essential. If the world fails to act, globally we will see more layoffs and more plant closures, the very outcomes President Trump and Ambassador Greer have fought so hard to reverse at home.

“We stand with Ambassador Greer and President Trump as they work to address one of the most serious threats to American industrial might in decades. Thank you for the necessary steps you have taken to secure our jobs at home and thank you for pushing for a framework that can help stabilize the global steel industry.”