Today, Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ) and Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) issued the following statements after the U.S. Department of Commerce released its reports in the Section 232 national security investigations on steel and aluminum imports and announced the recommendations it presented to the President for import restrictions on steel and aluminum:

“I’ve been calling for increased transparency in U.S. trade policy, so I applaud the Administration’s decision to publicly release the Commerce Department’s reports on steel and aluminum,” said Rep. Pascrell. “I look forward to digging further into the contents of these reports. But publishing these delayed reports is not nearly enough. Since the Administration began these investigations, imports of steel and aluminum have actually increased, further exacerbating the very problem they were intended to resolve. American workers and industries deserve thoughtful action. Confronting China with our allies, the President could help our workers by implementing an effective strategy to counteract the harm caused by Chinese overcapacity. So far, the President’s dithering has only made things worse.”

“China’s massive overcapacity in steel and aluminum production has hurt U.S. producers and workers,” said Rep. Neal. “The scope of the overcapacity is so substantial that it disfigures the global market and hurts producers and workers in other countries too. With today’s release of the Commerce Department’s reports and recommendations in the Section 232 national security investigations into steel and aluminum imports, the focus intensifies on what the Administration will choose to do.  I urge the Administration and all affected parties to work toward solutions that will remedy the root problem and craft a strategy to re-establish fair trade in these products that supports America’s workers and firms.”