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WHITE HOUSE MAINTAINS CLOSE CONTACT WITH ISU An official from the Bush administration contacted ISU President Mark Glyptis recently to discuss possible remedies to resolve the import crisis. Coddy Johnson, associate political director for the White House, called Glyptis on Friday to discuss the state of the steel industry. Johnson's call was in response to a letter Glyptis had written to President Bush last week. Glyptis told Johnson that anything less than a remedy calling for 40 percent tariffs would not provide the necessary relief to help struggling steel producers. ``The industry has faced challenges from imports which have hit hard our local community of Weirton and other surrounding areas,'' Glyptis said in his letter to Bush. ``When a leading employer like Weirton is negatively impacted and forced to decrease production and announce worker layoffs, the community is forced to compete in an unfriendly economic environment. Our local schools, our service providers and our health care facilities also rely on the revenues generated from Weirton's contributions to state and local taxes.'' Glyptis informed Johnson that the ISU, residents of the Ohio Valley and steel supporters throughout the country will continue to mount pressure on the administration, calling for an effective remedy. He also emphasized that West Virginia was a key state in helping Bush win the election and that Vice President Dick Cheney had promised to help the steelworkers when he visited Weirton. Johnson, who had worked on Bush's election campaign in states such as West Virginia, was well aware of how the imports have harmed local steelmakers. ``We appreciate the fact that the president initiated the Section 201 investigation, but he needs to follow it with meaningful relief and not just a cosmetic remedy that will fall short of providing the assistance we need,'' said Glyptis. ``We also appreciate the fact that the White House has maintained open communications with the union and we've renewed our request for President Bush to visit Weirton to make his announcement about the remedy.'' Industry leaders had initially urged the International Trade Commission to recommend that the president impose tariffs as high as 50 percent, the maximum allowed under Section 201 of the Fair Trade Act of 1974. Amid unconfirmed, but widespread reports that President Bush was going to impose tariffs of only 20 percent, the industry began to lobby for tariffs of at least 40 percent for a four-year period. Bush is expected to announce his decision by March 6. ``The ISU greatly appreciates the leadership, commitment and effort by you and your Cabinet to address the steel import crisis,’’ said Glyptis in his letter to Bush. ``Your administration’s efforts and your leadership on this issue have sent a positive message to thousands of steelworkers and residents in West Virginia and the tri-state area of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. We hope that your final actions in early March will address our concerns and allow our members to rejoin others in the industry in allowing the U.S. steel industry to compete for many years to come.’’ | ||||||||||
