These public policy priorities are a part of an aggressive strategy by AISI and member companies to promote a pro-manufacturing agenda.
 
“A robust manufacturing sector creates significant benefits for our society, including good-paying jobs, investment in research and development, critical materials for our national defense and high-value exports,” said Thomas J. Gibson, AISI president and CEO. “Yet manufacturing industries, like steel, continue to face challenges that affect our global competiveness due to burdensome tax rates, energy costs, inadequate investments in infrastructure, increased regulation and unfair trade practices. A concerted pro-manufacturing policy agenda is needed to reverse this troubling trend and ensure a strong, independent steel sector and manufacturing base.” Stressing the importance of the steel industry to the success of the American economy, job creation, sustainability and national security, the agenda details AISI’s critical policy goals for the upcoming year:

• International Trade: Promote strong U.S. trade policy laws against unfair trade; urge the U.S. government to challenge foreign trade-distorting practices that have led to a surge in imports; expand rules-based trade through existing and new trade agreements; support passage of legislation — like the ENFORCE ACT — to address antidumping and countervailing duty order evasion, circumvention and fraud, and to update existing trade remedies like those on currency manipulation.
• Tax: Ensure congressional tax reform proposals strengthen the U.S. industrial base by reducing the overall tax burden on manufacturers; promote tax incentives for investment in manufacturing plant and equipment; eliminate the corporate alternative minimum tax (AMT).
• Energy: Adopt a national energy policy that promotes development of cost-competitive domestic energy sources and industrial energy efficiency efforts; support research and development of breakthrough technologies; ensure any U.S. energy and climate policy takes into account global competition.
• Environment and Regulatory: Require cost/benefit analysis of proposed environmental regulations at the federal and state levels; examine the impact of proposed environmental regulations on industrial competitiveness; encourage greater transparency and industry access to the regulatory development process at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state agencies; ensure international aspects of regulations are considered.
• Transportation and Water Infrastructure: Reauthorize the Highway Trust Fund and the Water Resources Development Acts to guarantee sustainable, long-term financing of aging infrastructure.
• Workforce Policy: Promote worker health and safety programs, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP); support workforce development educational programs; ensure key OSHA and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) regulations (e.g., for combustible dust and crystalline silica) are based on thorough cost/benefit analyses.

While not formally outlined in AISI policy agenda as it is led by the Steel Market Development Institute, AISI’s market-related business unit, strong materials competition in the automotive market is a top priority for the Institute. AISI’s advocacy will aggressively include promoting the portfolio of new advanced high-strength steel technologies to help make autos more lightweight to meet new federal regulations.
 
Click here to read the full policy agenda.