Washington, Friday, January 16, 2009 -

U.S. Congressman Tim Murphy (PA-18) and U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire (PA-04) today announced that they have introduced legislation that will help American manufacturers struggling to compete against a flood of Chinese imports. The Supporting America’s Manufacturers Act would give Congress the power to review the president’s decisions on whether to provide temporary relief – in the form of import duties or quotas – to American companies facing market disruptions caused by Chinese imports.

“American manufacturers consistently set the standards for trade in the global marketplace,” said Congressman Tim Murphy.  “We are more productive, manufacture higher quality goods, have safer workplaces, and enforce stricter environmental controls than many of our other large competitors. This bill provides a mechanism to ensure that U.S. manufacturers can be competitive and not undercut by countries like China, who has a consistent record of breaking the rules at the expense of American workers.”

“Over the past eight years, President Bush flat out refused to provide temporary assistance to U.S. manufacturers whose businesses were being jeopardized by a flood of Chinese imports,” Altmire said. “This has had very real and extremely negative consequences for western Pennsylvania. I want to make sure that in the future, Congress will be able to review the president’s decisions on this important matter so we can ensure the fate of America’s manufacturers does not rest solely in the president’s hands.”

Under Section 421 of the U.S. China Relations Act of 2000, American manufacturers can file petitions for assistance with the International Trade Commission (ITC) if their businesses have been negatively affected by a surge of Chinese imports. When a majority of the ITC believes an industry deserves relief, it forwards its recommendation to the U.S. Trade Representative and the president. Over the past eight years, President Bush rejected every single recommendation for assistance issued by the ITC, leaving manufacturers without the relief they needed.

Western Pennsylvania saw firsthand the downfalls of President Bush’s refusal to grant assistance to American manufacturers.  In 2005, Wheatland Tube joined with six other domestic pipe producers to file a petition showing the rise in Chinese imports of standard pipe from 9,000 tons in 2002 to 266,000 tons in 2004 was damaging their businesses. After the president refused to accept the ITC's recommendation to provide these companies with assistance, Wheatland Tube’s Sharon facility was shut down in August of 2006. The closing of the plant meant that 257 individuals lost good, high-paying jobs, which on average paid $25 per hour.