The Buy America Coalition—comprising the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports (CPTI), National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA), and Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA)—expressed its support of “The American Steel First Act,” introduced by Reps. Pete Visclosky (D-IN) and Tim Murphy (R-PA).
The Buy America Coalition was instrumental in helping to develop the new legislation, which would require federally funded construction projects under the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to use 100 percent American-made steel products.
The new legislation would expand the successful Buy America Act requirements—which currently apply to Federal Transportation Administration projects—to also include other projects initiated by the DOT, DOD and DHS. The new legislation also requires a public comment period for all projects that seek an exemption to these requirements, an important provision that would allow the domestic steel industry to verify there is no domestic steel available for the project.
By requiring the use of American-made steel products in these federal construction projects and other federally supported projects, this legislation would help to ensure that America’s national infrastructure is made with quality domestic steel products. According to the Coalition, the use of steel products would also create greater economic prosperity for American steelworkers and steel communities across the nation.
The Buy America Coalition is a partnership between AISI, CPTI, NSBA, and SMA. The Coalition was formed in 2006 to represent all of the domestic steel industry in order to work with Congress and the Administration to improve compliance with Buy America laws, and to improve those laws.
AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI comprises 25 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 138 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry.
The CPTI is a non-profit association comprising 37 member companies including steel pipe, tube, and fittings producers and suppliers to the industry. The CPTI serves as a voice for the pipe and tube industry in Washington, D.C., and represents the majority of companies in the U.S.
The National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA) is a division of the American Institute of Steel Construction, a non-profit organization of companies and individuals who are dedicated to developing and promoting the best in steel design and construction. The NSBA division is a unified voice representing the steel bridge industry.
SMA is the primary trade association for scrap-based electric arc furnace steelmakers, whose minimills comprise the nation’s largest recyclers and account for nearly 70% of the steel produced in the U.S. today. It consists of 36 North American companies that operate over 130 facilities and employ approximately 50,000 people involved in the production and fabrication of steel.