WASHINGTON — SMA President Philip K. Bell issued the following statement today:
“Today marks another major step forward that President Trump has taken to defend our national, economic and energy security and create more American jobs. The domestic steel industry saw a revival after President Trump first instituted tariffs on steel products. But over time the impact of those tariffs has lessened because of exemptions and exclusions that chipped away at their effectiveness. As the revised steel tariff goes into effect today, President Trump is boldly declaring that America will no longer be a dumping ground for cheap, subsidized foreign steel.
“By closing loopholes in the tariff that have been exploited for years, President Trump will again supercharge a steel industry that stands ready to rebuild America. Robust domestic production of steel is essential for building new infrastructure that connects our country, building a fleet of ships capable of defending America’s interests around the world and building new manufacturing facilities that restore America’s manufacturing leadership. The revised tariff will ensure that steelmakers in America can continue to create new high-paying jobs and make greater investments knowing that they will not be undercut by unfair trade practices.
“President Trump is delivering on his promise to put America first and his actions today put the domestic steel industry in a position to again be the envy of the world. We look forward to continuing to work with President Trump and his team to ensure our industry meets the explosive demand we expect to see from America First trade policies supporting domestic manufacturing.”
About the SMA
SMA is the largest steel industry trade association in the United States and is the primary trade association representing North American EAF steel producers. EAF steelmakers account for almost 70 percent of domestic steelmaking capacity using an innovative, 21st century production process that is less energy-intensive and has lower carbon emissions than traditional steelmaking. For more information check out our website at www.steelnet.org or our LinkedIn page.
