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This summer, I traveled to Lordstown, Ohio, and met with former General Motors employees who lost their jobs when the auto plant closed after 52 years. The company announced its closure and shortly thereafter announced plans to build a factory in Mexico. Nearly 1,500 jobs were lost due to the factory closure. The workers there told me these were good jobs that provided income to support their families. And now they’re gone.
Americans aren’t angry for imaginary reasons. They are angry because of this experience. Workers in this country are being treated unfairly and feel that the American dream is no longer within reach.
We desperately need what I call a new economic patriotism, a worker-centered plan to make America a manufacturing powerhouse again and revive the mill towns scarred by hollowing out. At the forefront of these efforts is the revival of the steel industry.
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The demand for steel in the United States is so high that the United States is the world’s largest importer of steel, importing approximately three times as much steel as it produces. From electrical steel sheets for car motors, emergency generators, and transformers to steel sheets for submarines and onshore and offshore wind towers, there is a huge demand for steel across the U.S. economy that cannot be met by domestic supplies. you can’t.
President Joe Biden enters General Motors’ electric vehicle assembly plant, Factory Zero, in Detroit, Michigan, on November 17, 2021. (Nick Antaya/Getty Images)
What is unacceptable is that China dominates the global steel market, accounting for nine of the world’s top 15 steel producers. Not a single company in the United States is on that list. China, which produces nearly 10 times as much steel as the next largest steel producer, is the largest source of excess steel capacity in the world. This excess capacity distorts steel prices around the world and puts tremendous pressure on market-based producers in the United States.
China’s dominance in the steel sector poses significant risks not only to the economy, but also to public safety, the energy sector, and national security. People want safe bridges and cars, reliable power grids, and durable transformers. When wartime mobilization is ordered, steel is needed for equipment such as tanks, aircraft, and weapons systems.
That’s why I’m committed to introducing a modern steel bill to bring steel production back to the Midwest and restore our nation’s leadership in this critical sector. My vision is to build more than a dozen steel facilities that will test today’s advanced technologies, and to do this in communities with a history of steel manufacturing across the country, from Lordstown, Ohio, to Detroit, Michigan, to Johnstown, Pennsylvania. is. The bill would also help modernize existing factories to secure these good jobs.
This bill will help revitalize downtown, restore it to its former glory, and attract and support a greater steel ecosystem in the region. It funds research, provides grants and provides tax incentives to companies that choose to implement advanced steelmaking processes and equipment.
We will also counter unfair trade practices by countries such as China by strengthening enforcement of anti-dumping duties, countervailing duties and other measures to level the playing field.
We can do this in a way that reduces our carbon footprint and protects our planet. China’s steel production accounts for more than half of the world’s carbon emissions from steel production. On average worldwide, 1.85 tonnes of CO2 is emitted for every tonne of steel produced. But in China, this is about 2 tons (some estimates say 3 tons). In America, it’s less than 1 ton.
That’s because our manufacturers are already investing in production methods with a lower carbon footprint, such as the use of recycled scrap metal and direct reduction of steel. These plants could also take advantage of innovations in hydrogen use in steelmaking, and once fully operational, U.S. steel production could be at least four times cleaner than that produced in China.
We are perfectly placed to lead the world in modern steel.
Most importantly, this bill protects workers’ right to form unions. Working in steel is a good job. They pay high wages, provide adequate benefits, and provide dignified lives for workers and their families. In 2017, steel jobs averaged 27% more than the median income for men and 58% more than the median income for women.
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This bill maintains that and ensures that wages keep up with inflation. It will also include workforce training and job placement programs to invest in the next generation of workers.
As a co-author of CHIPS and Science Law, I know we have the power to revitalize our industry and become a manufacturing powerhouse again. Already, thanks to this law, Intel has committed $20 billion to build two new chip factories in Ohio, which will create about 3,000 new jobs with an average salary of $135,000. will be created. Some of these jobs require a college degree, but more than half do not.
If semiconductor chips can do it, why can’t steel? If steel can do it, why can’t other important industries like aluminum, personal protective equipment, and critical pharmaceuticals do it?
This bill will help revitalize downtown, restore it to its former glory, and attract and support a greater steel ecosystem in the region. It funds research, provides grants and provides tax incentives to companies that choose to implement advanced steelmaking processes and equipment.
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Revitalizing American industry will not be an easy task, but it is necessary. This bill is just one part of a larger vision for a new economic patriotism that can transcend political divides and unite us in a common mission. Together, we can bring back industries like steel, restore America as the world’s factory, and respect the dignity of all workers.
Ro Khanna represents California’s 17th Congressional District and is a champion of revitalizing America’s manufacturing industry and creating high-wage jobs.
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