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Rep. Miller Testifies at the International Trade Commission on Behalf of Pittsburg Steel Company
WASHINGTON, DC – On behalf of USS-POSCO Industries and its steel workers in Pittsburg, Rep. George Miller (D-CA) today testified at the International Trade Commission, urging the ITC not to lift its anti-dumping order against Japnese imports that had hurt American manufacturers. The ITC is holding a day-long hearing today in Washington to review anti-dumping measures concerning tin- and chromium-coated steel sheet that are important to many American companies, including USS-POSCO (UPI).
The U.S. imposed the anti-dumping order in 2000 after an aggressive campaign by the Japanese industry to undercut the American tin mill industry, which manufactures products use primarily in food processing. Miller joined with American steel companies and the United Steel Workers of America union to urge the ITC to continue the anti-dumping order. Officials from UPI were also at the hearing today in Washington. The ITC's final determination on the case will be made in June of this year.
Below are excerpts from Miller’s remarks before the Commission this morning:
“The case you are reviewing today is of great importance to American economic competitiveness and in particular to a company and its workers in my congressional district who have really worked hard over the past 20 years to build a great business and put out first class steel products.
“The domestic tin mill industry provides highly skilled, high-paying manufacturing jobs for hard-working Americans, including at UPI in Pittsburg, CA. UPI is one of the largest employers in my district. UPI took an outdated and noncompetitive steel plant and completed a $450 million modernization project in 1989. UPI now ranks among the most efficient steel finishing facilities in the world, and provides first-rate quality tin mill products to the food canners in California.
“It is critical that the U.S. government aggressively enforce trade laws in order to prevent dumped imports from harming such a critical industry. When the ITC first investigated this issue, it was determined after exhaustive analysis that skyrocketing imports of Japanese tin mill led to a $132 million hit to our domestic industry. Appropriately, the Commission determined that this Japanese dumping caused material injury to the domestic tin mill industry.
“The antidumping order has been extremely helpful to the domestic industry, which has been able to strengthen somewhat over the last five years. As half of the Japanese imports targeted the California tin mill products market, the antidumping order has been particularly important to UPI.
“However, especially in the context of the larger steel crisis and an extremely competitive market, the domestic industry continues to confront major challenges. The domestic tin mill products industry actually lost money last year. UPI, like other U.S. producers, is not in a financial condition to withstand another surge in dumped imports from Japan.
“As a result, it is critical that the Commission prevent another flood of dumped imports from Japan, which would cripple the struggling domestic industry and cause material injury. I believe that U.S. producers are capable of competing with imports from any source, as long as trade laws preventing unfair dumping are appropriately enforced. I urge the Commission to continue to support the U.S. tin mill products industry, and not to revoke antidumping order at this time.”
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Posted by Intern, CA07 at 09:50PM | Comments ()
California Democrats Say President Bush’s Actions on Economic Competitiveness Don’t Match Rhetoric
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tomorrow, President Bush is expected to visit the headquarters of Cisco Systems in San Jose, California to talk about U.S. economic competitiveness. Bay Area Representatives Zoe Lofgren, George Miller, and Mike Honda said today they were pleased that the President was acknowledging the importance of acting to keep America competitive, but that his actions undermine his rhetoric. Specifically, the lawmakers cited the President’s proposed budget for the 2007 fiscal year, which actually undercuts U.S. competitiveness goals.
Lofgren, Miller, and Honda played key roles in the development of House Democrats’ “Innovation Agenda,” which House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi unveiled in November 2005. The Innovation Agenda lays out clear goals for education, research, energy, and technology developments that will create good jobs in the U.S. and keep America’s economy number one. To read the entire Innovation Agenda, click here.
The Members called on President Bush and Congressional Republicans to reconsider their budget priorities and join them in a serious bipartisan effort to achieve those goals:
“The President is coming to San Jose to tout his newfound dedication to American competitiveness at the same time he is pushing for a budget that significantly cuts education and NIH research funding,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose), Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation. “He must think that people in Silicon Valley are dumb enough to believe what he says without watching what he does.”
“With gas prices over $3 a gallon and no relief on the horizon, you would think this President and Republican Congress would have already put America on a path to energy independence, but all they do is talk about it. Our plan would get us there. Democrats believe that only through a sustained commitment to innovation will we maintain our global economic leadership and enhance our national security,” said Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez), Chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee. “President Bush and Republican leaders in Congress cannot claim to being committed to keeping America competitive and then reduce investments in math and science education, research, and energy alternatives.”
“President Bush is asleep at the wheel on the information superhighway,” said Rep. Mike Honda (D-San Jose). “His ‘Competitiveness Initiative’ is a triumph of rhetoric over substance, failing to support the investment-driven values that make Silicon Valley the global high-tech capital. The Administration and the Republican Congress have shortchanged K-12 science and math students, reneged on their promise to encourage vital research and development through a permanent tax credit for entrepreneurs, and let America’s global competitors quickly surpass us in broadband penetration. The Democratic Innovation Agenda, in contrast, recommits the nation to real technological competitiveness and will keep America #1.”
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Posted by Intern, CA07 at 05:43PM | Comments ()
Miller-Durbin Bill cuts College Loan Interest Rates in Half
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Congressman George Miller (D-CA) and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced the Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Act of 2006 to cut interest rates in half on college loans for student borrowers with the most financial need and for parent borrowers.
"The high cost of tuition should never prevent a qualified student from getting a college education, but Republican leaders in Congress apparently don't see it that way," said Miller, the senior Democrat on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. "Democrats want to take America in a new direction, and that includes reversing the Republican raid on student aid and making college more affordable for all students and families."
Earlier this year, the Republican-led Congress cut $12 billion out of the federal student aid programs in order to help finance tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. Miller and Durbin said today that this Republican Raid on Student Aid made college less affordable at a time when millions of American families are struggling to pay for higher education. They said that their new bill reflects the kind of serious investment that America must make if it wants to ensure college access for all students and remain the world's economic leader.
"Unless we act now, starting July 1st, the price of a college education will increase dramatically for students across the country," said Durbin. "New interest rates on student loans could make the ticket price of a higher education unaffordable, and cost students the opportunity to get a college education."
The Miller-Durbin "Reverse the Raid on Student Aid" bill cuts interest rates in half, from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent, for students with subsidized loans - which go to students with the most financial need - and from 8.5 percent to 4.25 percent for parents, starting in July 2006.
Under this new legislation, the typical undergraduate student borrower with $17,500 in student loan debt would save $5,600 over the life of his or her loan. Recent reports indicate that, from 2001 through 2006, the price of tuition, fees, and room and board at four-year public institutions has increased by 44 percent. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the average student debt has increased by more than 50 percent over the last decade.
As the price of college increases, so does the need to get one. Today, six out of every 10 jobs require some postsecondary education and training. Furthermore, today's college graduates earn over $1 million more over their lifetimes than those without college degrees.
"The concern for our global economic viability is real," said Durbin. "Raising interest rates on today's students shortchanges our children while threatening our country's ability to remain competitive in the global marketplace."
The legislation has been endorsed by Young Democrats of America, Rock the Vote, USAction, SEIU, US Students Association, AFSCME, Center for American Progress, College Democrats, Campaign for America's Future, Working America, and Campus Progress.
Posted by Intern, CA07 at 05:49PM | Comments () | TrackBack (0)
