Monday, February 28, 2005
Steel industry wants to keep monitoring imports
Belleville News-Democrat
Time is running out for the U.S. steel industry as it awaits an extension for an import monitoring program.
The Steel Monitoring and Analysis program was instituted in March 2002 when President Bush imposed Section 201 tariffs on some of the steel imported to the United States. The monitoring program provides direct funding for steel customs enforcement training and has expedited the import data-gathering process.
The program is set to expire March 20. Since President Bush announced the end of the Section 201 tariffs of some imported steel in December 2003, the Department of Commerce has not acted to make the Steel Monitoring and Analysis program permanent.
But public comment about the monitoring system the department requested in August revealed overwhelming support for it.
Time is running out for the U.S. steel industry as it awaits an extension for an import monitoring program.
The Steel Monitoring and Analysis program was instituted in March 2002 when President Bush imposed Section 201 tariffs on some of the steel imported to the United States. The monitoring program provides direct funding for steel customs enforcement training and has expedited the import data-gathering process.
The program is set to expire March 20. Since President Bush announced the end of the Section 201 tariffs of some imported steel in December 2003, the Department of Commerce has not acted to make the Steel Monitoring and Analysis program permanent.
But public comment about the monitoring system the department requested in August revealed overwhelming support for it.
