AISI Praises CIT Ruling Upholding Legality of Section 232 Trade Remedy

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) welcomed the Court of International Trade (CIT) ruling upholding the legality of the Section 232 trade remedy. The Institute issued a statement in response to the CIT’s decision to uphold Section 232. It must be noted that the CIT ruling was in response to a lawsuit by foreign steel importers.

The press release by Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO, AISI noted that the CIT rightly affirmed the Institute’s belief that constitutional challenge to the Section 232 is without merit. It termed the lawsuit as an attempt to divert from the real issue of disastrous impacts of unfairly traded foreign imports on the domestic industry along with the threats posed by the imports on the country’s national and economic security. The CIT decision would add further momentum to domestic steel industry, which is already on revival track following the president’s bold trade actions, Gibson said.

Earlier in February this year, AISI had reiterated the Institute’s support for steel tariffs and opposition to congressional legislation titled “The Bicameral Congressional Trade Authority Act” aimed at prematurely terminating the tariffs. AISI had pointed out that better capacity utilization at existing mills, increased investments in new and existing steel mill facilities, restoration of jobs in the sector and reopening of idled mills have happened only because of tariffs by the Trump administration.

Incidentally, Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, authorizes the U.S. President to initiate measures including tariffs to contain imports of goods or materials from other countries on national security grounds.