In an announcement Wednesday, the bipartisan caucus said it would be led by Reps. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., and Mike Bost, R-Ill., as co-chairman. Vice Chairman Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., will continue to serve in that role. 

“From working against unfair trade practices to protecting good-paying and highly skilled American jobs, I’m looking forward to leading this caucus with my colleagues, Reps. Mike Bost and Peter Visclosky," Crawford said in a statement. 

This is the first time in the caucus’ 40-year history that it is being helmed by a representative from the southern U.S., where the country’s electric arc furnace production is largely based.  

Crawford’s Congressional district alone includes Big River Steel, Nucor Steel-Arkansas, Nucor-Yamato Steel, and TMK IPSCO. And according to the Steel Manufacturers Association, which primarily represents EAF producers, the district is the second-most steel-intensive Congressional district in the U.S. 

Steel Manufacturers Association President Philip K. Bell said Crawford’s appointment follows in the ascendancy of the southern U.S. as a steel production center and the dominance of electric arc furnace production. 

“We are extremely pleased that the caucus will be chaired by a leader who represents the future of the domestic steel industry. Since coming to Congress, Crawford has been a strong supporter of American steelmakers and has taken a leadership role in advancing policies important to the industry – from strong trade enforcement to infrastructure investment to workforce development. We are excited to work with him on these issues.”

Bell said that at the top of Crawford’s steel agenda should be to encourage the Trump administration to complete the pending Section 232 investigation. 

The investigation remains in limbo as Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has said the administration needs to tackle tax reform before it returns attention to the matter.  

A group of Senate Democrats, however, have told the administration that the issues are in no way connected and are urging the administration to issue the report in the next two weeks, according to World Trade Online.

In announcing his appointment, Crawford suggested that the investigation would be a priority, saying that steel is vital to U.S. national security. 

“Steel isn’t a product that we can depend on other nations to produce for us. Critical to our country’s infrastructure, military, and economy as a whole, a strong domestic steel industry is a national security imperative that also provides excellent opportunities for people across the country living largely in rural areas like my district,” said Crawford.