PRINTER'S NO. 1327
No. 106 Session of 1983
INTRODUCED BY CLARK, COLAFELLA, LESCOVITZ, LAUGHLIN, LIVENGOOD,
MORRIS, STEWART, OLASZ, PETRARCA, ALDERETTE AND GRUPPO,
JUNE 7, 1983
ADOPTED, JUNE 7, 1983
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing the President of the United States to impose
2 quantitative restrictions on the importation of specialty
3 steel.
4 WHEREAS, The United States specialty steel industry, its
5 products and skilled workers, thousands of whom are now
6 unemployed, are absolutely essential to the national economy.
7 Virtually every segment of our economy is dependent upon
8 specialty steels, including manufacturers of aircraft,
9 automobiles, appliances, communications equipment, electronics
10 products, petroleum and natural gas development equipment and
11 food processing equipment; and
12 WHEREAS, The United States specialty steel industry is the
13 world's leader in process and product technology and is one of
14 our Nation's most essential, high-technology industries; and
15 WHEREAS, The United States specialty steel industry is
16 efficient, productive and competitive in domestic and in world
17 markets. This was highlighted in a 1980 report by the Office of
18 Technology Assessment which said of the specialty steel
1 industry: "Technologically (they) are innovative, responsive to
2 the market demands and competitive with any foreign industry";
3 and
4 WHEREAS, The United States specialty steel industry has made
5 heavy capital investments to reduce costs, improve efficiency
6 and maintain technological leadership. During 1976-1980 the
7 industry averaged capital expenditures of $93,000,000 per year
8 and has continued to make major expenditures for research and
9 development; and
10 WHEREAS, The privately-owned United States specialty steel
11 companies are forced to compete with foreign governments which
12 own, subsidize and direct their less efficient producers to
13 targets for their specialty steels abroad; and
14 WHEREAS, The devastating increases in imports forced the
15 United States specialty steel industry and the United States
16 Steelworkers of America to file an unfair trade case; and
17 WHEREAS, After extensive investigation by governmental
18 agencies, it was determined that the allegations of
19 subsidization are well founded and that injury to the United
20 States specialty steel industry is clear. President Reagan
21 concurred and requested the International Trade Commission (ITC)
22 to investigate and provide recommendations under the trade act;
23 and
24 WHEREAS, The ITC has ruled that the United States specialty
25 steel industry has been seriously injured and has recommended to
26 the President of the United States that quantitative
27 restrictions on the importation of alloy tool steel and
28 stainless sheet and strip, plate, bar and rod be imposed for a
29 period of three years; and
30 WHEREAS, The President has received the ITC report and has
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1 until July 5, 1983, to determine what actions he will initiate
2 to deal with the specialty steel import problem; and
3 WHEREAS, The United States specialty steel industry has
4 publicly committed to use any additional revenue generated from
5 the import relief measures to make massive capital investment
6 and research and development expenditures, in order to maintain
7 its competitiveness; therefore be it
8 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives memorialize the
9 President of the United States to impose quantitative
10 restrictions on the importation of alloy tool steel and
11 stainless sheet and strip, plate, bar and rod at the levels
12 requested by the United States specialty steel industry and the
13 United States Steelworkers of America for a period of five
14 years; and be it further
15 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be immediately
16 forwarded to the President of the United States.
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