WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration announced new executive actions Thursday aimed at thwarting illegal foreign steel dumping into the market, which workers on the Iron Range and Minnesota politicians blame for the slowdown in the mining industry there.
White House announces executive actions to try to prevent steel dumping
White House announces executive actions to try to prevent steel dumping
February 25, 2016 at 11:05PM
The executive actions include adding more inspectors of steel imports at ports of entry and bringing on more staffers to enforce trade laws. The White House also said they will add personnel to the Commerce Department to help ensure tariffs are enforced against those who dump steel in the U.S.
The executive actions come after a visit in December from President Obama's chief of staff Denis McDonough to the Iron Range to hear from some of the 2,000 people who have been laid off in the past year.
Minnesota's politicians, including Gov. Mark Dayton, Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, and Rep. Rick Nolan, have urged the executive branch to do more. Obama told Dayton earlier this week in a meeting at the White House that he's been more aggressive than other administrations in cracking down on steel dumping.
"These steps are urgently needed to prevent further damage to the lives and livelihoods of great people on the Iron Range," Dayton said in a statement.
Klobuchar said the next step is for Congress to pass bills to strengthen America's trade enforcement capabilities and "ensure laid-off workers affected by steel dumping receive the support they deserve."
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The state will lose about $18 million in federal funding as the Trump administration terminates two pandemic-era programs.
