For Release: Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Contact: David Gillies: 202-225-5661

DAN SIMMONS, PRESIDENT OF UNITED STEELWORKERS LOCAL 1899, TESTIFIES BEFORE CONGRESSIONAL STEEL CAUCUS

Washington - United Steelworkers Local 1899 President Dan Simmons testified today before the Congressional Steel Caucus at a hearing on the state of the U.S. steel industry. Simmons was invited to appear by U.S. Congressman Jerry F. Costello, a Steel Caucus member, who represents Granite City and the Granite City Works and other steel facilities. Local 1899 represents 1,250 steelworkers at the Granite City Works, which has been idled since last December.

In his testimony, Simmons emphasized the conditions that brought the domestic steel industry to less than 40% of capacity late last year, including the global economic downturn and the impact of illegally dumped foreign steel, particularly from China. He also discussed the tremendous impact on steelworker families, including the loss of health care benefits.

“I am glad that Dan could join the hearing today to help put a face on the dire economic situation the industry and its workers face,” said Costello. “The Steel Caucus is representing this point of view to congressional leadership and the Obama administration as we consider our trade policy, climate change, health care and other legislation. The U.S. steel industry can compete with any country on an even playing field, as it showed earlier this decade. We must maintain a domestic manufacturing capability that produces good-paying jobs in this country.”

Costello has been a strong supporter of efforts on behalf of our nation’s steelworkers, including weighing in with, and testifying before, the International Trade Commission on steel importation cases, supporting tariffs on imported steel earlier this decade and “Buy American” provisions in legislation, and participating in local events to bring attention to these issues.

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