Sen. Katie Britt joined a group of bipartisan senators to pressure the Biden administration on stemming the flow of Mexican steel into the United States.
The Senators underscored the threat it poses to good-paying American jobs.
Citing the 2019 Joint Agreement on Steel and Aluminum between the two countries, the senators sent a letter to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan calling the steel surge a threat to American manufacturing and national security.
“We write to you regarding the surge of Mexican steel imports into the U.S. market in violation of the 2019 Joint Agreement on Steel and Aluminum,” wrote the senators. “This breach, and the resulting surge, threatens our manufacturing base and American national security, and demands immediate action from the administration.
“The administration must do more to protect America’s steel industry and prevent the further loss of good-paying American jobs. Failure to conclude an export monitoring agreement due to the unwillingness or inability of the Mexican government is unacceptable. We urge the administration to set a clear deadline for the implementation of an export monitoring agreement.
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“If Mexico fails to meet this deadline or proves unable or unwilling to effectively enforce the 2019 Joint Agreement, we respectfully urge the administration to take aggressive action to counter the increase of Mexican steel imports.”
Britt (R-Montgomery) said the Biden Administration has a responsibility to press Mexico for a solution.
“Every day this Administration fails to hold Mexico accountable for its blatant violation of the 2019 Joint Agreement, our critical domestic steel industry is harmed,” said Britt. “This unacceptable surge in Mexican steel imports is endangering good-paying Alabama jobs and negatively impacting communities across our nation.
“The Administration has a responsibility to properly enforce U.S. trade agreements and protect our national security, and immediate action is needed to address this pressing issue.”
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.
