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For Immediate Release WEIRTON, W.VA. – Weirton Steel Corp. officials today said they are pleased that local members of Congress will testify on behalf of the domestic steel industry at the upcoming mid-term review hearings on the steel import tariff program. "It's satisfying to know these congressmen will be in our corner. They, in addition to W.Va. Sen. Ed Bowman, are an important part of our campaign to keep the tariffs in place," said John H. Walker, Weirton Steel president and chief executive officer. The congressmen will testify July 22 in Washington, D.C., before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). Bowman, D-Hancock, will join the congressmen during the morning session of the ITC's mid-term review of President Bush's steel tariff program. The ITC is conducting the review to determine if the tariff program should continue to March 2005 as originally planned by the president or end this September, just halfway through the program. Testimony will help determine whether or not the program is benefiting the domestic steel industry. Steel-consuming companies already have offered testimony that contends the program is harmful to them, claiming the added costs of tariffs prevents or has slowed steel imports. Weirton Steel, like other U.S. steelmakers, claimed that before Bush enacted the tariffs, many low-priced steel imports violated federal pricing laws. In recent years, domestic steel companies and unions have proven their claims. The congressmen scheduled to appear include: Sens. Robert Byrd and Jay Rockefeller and Rep. Alan Mollohan, both D-W.Va.; Sens. Mike DeWine and George Voinovich, both R-Ohio; Reps. Ted Strickland, D-Ohio, and Bob Ney, R-Ohio; and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa.; and Rep. Tim Murphy, D-Pa. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., will submit written testimony. Michael Scott, Weirton Steel vice president-sales and marketing, will testify during the afternoon of the session. Weirton Steel is the sixth largest domestic integrated steel company.
Weirton Steel Corp. Media Contact:
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