Shimkus Supports Steelworkers

Press Release

Shimkus Supports Steelworkers

Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-19) sent a letter of support to the United Steelworkers, as they rally in Granite City today.

In his letter Shimkus highlighted his own family's ties to the local steel mills, his past support of tariffs on imported steel, and his support for "Buy American" provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Upon learning on March 18 of pipe coming in from India for the TransCanada pipeline, Shimkus issued a statement saying, "I am shocked and saddened to learn that steel is being imported for this project. The pipeline is vital to our nation's energy needs, but bringing in foreign steel is a slap in the face to the hard working men and women out of work from our local steel mills and related companies."

On April 3 the Executive Committee of the Congressional Steel Caucus, of which Shimkus is a member, sent a bipartisan letter to the Office of Management and Budget. The letter urges that as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is implemented, it "adhere to the full intent of the 'Buy America' amendment" as it applies to "all federal, state, or local public buildings or public works projects" funded by the law.

The letter urges "a strict application of the two-part test developed under the Buy American Act of 1933 for determining whether a 'manufactured good' is made in the United States" and the "use of the long-standing definition of 'iron and steel' developed by the Department of Transportation to determine if ron and steel are produced in the United States."

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