Momentum Quickly Building to Stop Foreign Trade Cheats

By Elizabeth Brotherton-Bunch
Jun 04 2015 |
Americans rallied across the country in 2014 to save more than 500,000 jobs in jeopardy because of a surge of steel imports from countries like South Korea. Steel companies and workers eventually won a trade case that made the steel subject to anti-dumping duties. But the case took time, and many U.S. workers were laid off as the case made its way through the system. New legislation seeks to make it easier for workers and companies to seek remedies.

Thousands of Americans want their Members of Congress to cosponsor a vital trade enforcement bill.

Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) advocates have a message for their Members of Congress: It’s time to Make Trade Work.

More than 5,200 AAM supporters have raised their voice in the past two days to ask Members to cosponsor bipartisan legislation that would strengthen enforcement laws against unfair trade practices.

Thousands of American workers have faced layoffs this year — and more than 150,000 are at-risk — because there’s been a surge in trade cheating and imports from countries such as China. As China’s economy has slowed in recent months state-owned steel mills have continued to churn out product. But since the steel can’t be used in China, these subsidized steelmakers are flooding the U.S. market, selling their goods far below fair value. And that's unfair to the American companies that play by the rules. 

The American Trade Enforcement Effectiveness Act seeks to make it easier for American workers and businesses to seek remedy against trade cheats, allowing them to seek remedies before layoffs and plant closures begin.

“Illegal trade practices are putting American jobs at risk, and I am pleased we’ve received support from both sides of the aisle to combat these practices," said Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill), a lead sponsor of the measure. "When the rules are applied equally, I am confident that American workers will outwork and outperform foreign competitors every day of the week.”

As of Thursday afternoon, the legislation had 37 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle. You can help keep the momentum going by telling your Member of Congress to sign onto the bill.