By SooToday.com Staff
SooToday.com
Thursday, June 05, 2008

NEWS RELEASE

CONGRESSMAN
BART STUPAK
1ST CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN

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House passes Stupak amendment to require American Steel in public school construction projects

Provision would protect schoolchildren from inferior Chinese steel

WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday adopted an amendment authored by Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) to require schools to use American made steel and iron in construction projects.

The amendment to the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act (H.R. 3021) would apply to all modernization, renovation, or repair projects funded under this legislation.

“Our children deserve safe and healthy learning environments,” Stupak said. “We must ensure that the steel used in our schools is from American companies that meet proper safety and quality standards.”

Recently, there have been growing concerns regarding the quality of steel imports from China.

In October 2007, the California Department of General Services posted an alert on defective Chinese steel tubing fabricated for school construction projects.

Inspectors at the San Pedro High School in Los Angeles discovered that steel tubing used in the construction of the school’s gym had begun splitting and cracking.

Similar problems were found in 16 other California schools.

The steel used in these projects was made in China.

Independent laboratory tests have confirmed that significant quantities of imported Chinese steel do not meet high-strength requirements.

In April, Stupak joined fellow members of the Congressional Steel Caucus in questioning U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) about sub-standard steel from China being allowed to enter the United States and its use in federal infrastructure projects.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Assistant Commissioner David Baldwin testified that CBP does not conduct compliance checks to monitor the strength, durability or hardness of the steel imported to the United States.

“This cheap imported steel is a danger to our children and is compromising their safety,” Stupak said. “Until the federal government can make sure imported steel from China and other countries meets safety and quality standards, we should not allow it be used in our children’s school buildings.”

Stupak’s amendment would require local education agencies to use steel or iron produced in America for modernization, renovation, or repair projects at public school facilities.

The amendment includes provisions that will ensure that schools can comply with these standards.

If steel and iron produced in the U.S. will increase the cost of the project by more than 25 percent, and iron and steel from elsewhere is proven safe, the agencies may use steel and iron from other sources.

“Americans have been harmed by contaminated food, drugs and toys imported from China,” Stupak said. “Now there are serious safety concerns regarding Chinese steel. Knowing this, Congress has to take action to prevent this inferior material from being used in our schools before even more American lives are put at risk.”

Stupak recently joined with other members of the Steel Caucus in introducing the American Steel First Act.

The bill would require federally-funded construction projects under the jurisdiction of the Departments of Transportation, Defense or Homeland Security to use 100 percent American steel.

It would expand successful “Buy America” requirements which currently apply to Federal Transportation Administration projects, to other government agencies.

The requirements would apply to domestic military and civilian construction projects, such as airports, bridges, railroads, roads, tunnels, harbors, piers and the border fence.

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