Whereas steel is perhaps the most important industry in the Great Lakes basin, providing direct employment for more than 100,000 steelworkers and another 300,000 jobs in supplier industries, including the 3,000 American mariners working the Great Lakes; and

Whereas the raw materials needed to produce steel - iron ore, coal and fluxstone, account for approximately 70 percent of all cargo carried on U.S.-Flag lakers; and

Whereas the American steel industry is the world leader in terms of technology and is able to compete with any producer in the world in undistorted trade relationships; and

Whereas specialty steels, coils and slabs imported through the St. Lawrence Seaway are the primary inbound cargo for the Lakes international trade; and

Whereas these commodities provide family-sustaining jobs for American longshoremen and meet demand for steel that exceeds the capacity of domestic mills; and

Whereas in periods of peak demand or during modernization of domestic steelmaking facilities, this imported steel actually maintains employment and production at U.S. mills; and

Whereas inbound steel cargos keep freight rates for grain exports low and allow American Great Lakes ports to compete with the deep-draft, year-round ports on the Coasts and the inland river tug/barge system; and

Whereas foreign steel is now being sold in the U.S. below the cost of production, largely because of the collapse of the Asian market and economic conditions in the former Soviet Union; and

Whereas this unfair trade in steel has forced production cutbacks at American steel mills and iron ore mines and resulted in loss of jobs for American workers; and

Whereas continued unfair trade in steel will cause massive lay-offs and lost production in the Great Lakes basin;

Therefore be it resolved the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force urges Congress and the Administration to restore order to the steel trade to the United States by enforcing existing laws and trade agreements, and if necessary negotiating new trade agreements that are based on the principle of free but fair trade.

Adopted November 12, 1998