Rep. Nolan Reacts to Layoffs at Minntac
Statement
U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan released the following statement today regarding U.S. Steel's intention to idle operations at its Minntac plant, leading to the loss of nearly 700 jobs.
"My first concern is for the workers and their families -- and for all the businesses affected most directly by these layoffs.
The heart of the matter is that the process of enforcing our trade policies and agreements against the illegal dumping of foreign steel into our marketplace is broken. It's ineffective. It takes too long. It's full of loopholes that allow horrific damage to be done before any action can be taken. What's more, there are no effective tariffs on foreign steel. As a result, our jobs, our economy and our national security are being put at enormous risk.
I will certainly work with our Senators to explore ways to speed verification of illegal dumping and to strengthen enforcement -- but the fact remains that once we approve a trade agreement, we're stuck with the broken enforcement process that goes along with it. Until we fix the enforcement process once and for all, we should call for a halt to consideration of trade agreements like NAFTA - a debacle that has already cost us a million good jobs and contributed to the closure some 57,000 manufacturing facilities. Moreover, we need to defeat the Trans-Pacific Partnership and any "fast track' approval of that agreement through Congress. "Fast track' would be an unconscionable abdication of our Congressional responsibilities under the Constitution. And the Trans-Pacific Partnership only promises to do more damage and cost us more good middle class jobs.
Over the near term, during our meeting on Friday at the White House, the Administration firmly committed to working with me, with our U.S. Senators and with the Governor to provide Trade Adjustment Assistance and every possible help to the miners and mining families across our region. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that this help is delivered promptly once the layoffs occur. Over the long term, we need to do more than get through this. We need to put a stop to unworkable trade agreements and avoid more of these devastating layoffs from happening in the future."
Source