WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today praised a decision that will benefit U.S. steel producers in Mississippi and other states by allowing the United States to act against the unfair surge in imported steel reinforcing bar or “rebar.”

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on Tuesday reached a unanimous determination that rebar imports from Mexico and Turkey are unlawfully threatening or damaging the U.S. rebar industry.  The decision, supported by Cochran and Wicker, clears the way for the U.S. Department of Commerce to impose antidumping duties against Mexican and Turkish rebar.

“I commend the Commission for reaching this unanimous decision on behalf of fairness for American steel workers,” Wicker said. “This judgment marks an important milestone in the fight to keep the U.S. steel industry competitive globally. Moving forward, I will continue to urge the federal government to support trade policies that promote and protect our companies and workers.”

“American steel workers and manufacturers can compete with workers anywhere in the world, but a level playing field is required.  I am pleased with this decision that will create more opportunity for U.S. rebar producers to succeed,” Cochran said.

In September, Wicker and Cochran were among a bipartisan group of 36 Senators who strongly encouraged the ITC to favorably complete its review of the Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar from Mexico and Turkey Inv. Nos. 701 TA-502 and 731-TA-1227-1228 (Final Phase) petition (http://1.usa.gov/1ycMMDv and http://1.usa.gov/XdcQxe).  Filed in 2013, the primary petitioner is the Rebar Trade Action Coalition.  Nucor Corp., which has operations in Starkville and Flowood, is a member of the coalition.  The ITC petition indicates that the case affects nine producers with facilities in 23 states that employed 4,167 workers in 2012.

In a letter to ITC Chairman Meredith Broadbent that criticized unfair imports from Mexico and Turkey, the Senators wrote, “Since 2010, these imports have flooded the U.S. market at the direct expense of U.S. producers, who have seen their share of the market drop dramatically.  Capacity utilization rates are at historically low levels -- near 60 percent -- and production levels have yet to recover from the recession.”

The Mississippi Senators in April 2014 also signed correspondence to Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker that highlighted unfair trade practices associated with Turkish and Mexican steel imports. Last year, Cochran and Wicker were part of a similar case involving the extension of existing antidumping duties now imposed on rebar produced in China, Indonesia, Ukraine, Latvia, Belarus, Moldova and Poland.