Noting that the air conditioning industry employs over 175,000 workers and contributes $17 billion annually to the U.S. economy, Sutton said, “As one of my members told me, ‘Steel is a fundamental component of everything we make — every day we pay extra for steel means more industry shifting to Asia.’”

Bowman, whose company uses 100,000 tons of steel annually and purchases more indirectly as components and subassemblies, testified that “the continuation of the tariff will reinforce corporate management’s perception of the tariff, and hasten the continual pressure on corporate buying to move work and sourcing to China or outside the United States. I challenge you to look at the ‘country of origin’ markings on various products on your next walk through one of the large discount stores, and remember that we need trade legislation that aids all American manufacturing. I believe that you will find that foreign products are expanding into new areas of manufacturing, and that the steel tariff is contributing to this end.”

Publication date: 07/07/2003