<html> <head> <meta HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> <meta NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="Microsoft FrontPage 3.0"> <meta NAME="Template" CONTENT="C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE\html.dot"> <title>Becker Hails House Passage Of Steel Recovery Act As "Victory For Main Street;" Urges Rapid Senate Passage</title> </head> <body LINK="#0000FF" VLINK="#800080" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> USWA NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Distribution, Wednesday, March 17, 1999   Becker Hails House Passage Of Steel Recovery Act As "Victory For Main Street;" Urges Rapid Senate Passage Washington, D.C. (Mar. 17) George Becker, President of the United Steelworkers of America (USWA), hailed U.S. House passage today of a bill to limit steel imports to the levels that existed before the crisis created by illegal foreign dumping as "a bipartisan commitment to put the interests of Main Street above the interests of Wall Street." The House overwhelmingly passed the Steel Recovery Act (H.R. 975), co-sponsored by Peter Visclosky (D-IN) and Ralph Regula (R-OH). The roll call vote was 289-141. A similar measure is being sponsored in the Senate by John D. Rockefeller (D-WV). Becker said, "The victory signals Congress unwillingness to continue pledging allegiance to a failed system of global trade that sacrifices American jobs to bail out international bankers." The Steelworkers President urged the U.S. Senate to pass steel quota legislation with the same urgency shown by the House. "With 10,000 steelworkers already out of work, three major steel producers in bankruptcy, another one on the brink, and virtually every steel producer is experiencing huge losses, action isnt an option; its an absolute necessity," he declared. Becker assailed the Clinton-Gore administration for "turning its back on American steelworkers and steel producers" who have resurrected themselves from the devastating loss of 350,000 steelworker jobs and 65% of the American market during the 1980s. Becker credited the House victory to thousands of Steelworkers who have come to Washington to lobby for the quota bill in recent weeks, to thousands more who held Stand Up For Steel rallies around the country, as well as 200,000 handwritten letters that Steelworkers have sent to Washington. "Steelworkers and steel communities hold dear the notion that Americas trade policies should benefit Americans first. That may be a novel idea in some quarters. But it was a winning idea today in Congress." More than 250 Steelworkers from across the U.S. were assembled in a Capitol Hill hotel ballroom to witness the vote on TV screens following a last minute flurry of visits with their congressional representatives. Chief sponsors of the legislation, including U.S. Rep. Visclosky (D-IN) and U.S. Rep. Jack Quinn (R-NY) joined the Steelworkers after the vote to say the active support of the union members made the difference. # # # <hr> Return to <a href="Press.html">Stand Up For Steel Press Index</a> </body> </html>