Bill Text: IL SR0084 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urges the State of Illinois to implement both a "Buy America" policy and a "Buy Illinois" policy, which would help grow the steel industry, create jobs, build the middle class, and protect American companies and workers.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-03-28 - Resolution Adopted [SR0084 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-SR0084-Introduced.html

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SR0084 LRB101 10681 MST 55791 r
SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Steel has always been a core part of the
industrial and manufacturing sector of the United States; in
Illinois, the steel industry employs over 9,000 workers and
supports approximately 64,000 jobs; and
WHEREAS, At its height in the 1940s and 1950s, American
steel accounted for about 40% of production worldwide, and the
industry employed over 650,000 workers; today, China has taken
over the steel market, producing 49% of the 1.7 billion metric
tons produced globally in 2017, while the United States ranked
fifth with 5% of production; and
WHEREAS, China's overwhelming grip on the industry has
forced prices down and pushed American companies out of
business, leading to the layoff of thousands of American
workers; and
WHEREAS, Currently, there are approximately 140,000
Americans working in the steel industry, a decline of over
500,000 from the industry's peak; and
WHEREAS, The U.S. is the world's top importer of steel; in
2017, we imported 36 million metric tons of steel, while only
producing 10.1 million metric tons; and

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WHEREAS, The total U.S. trade deficit with China was $375
billion in 2017; and
WHEREAS, Despite these troubling trends, public contracts
continue to be awarded to Chinese companies that have undercut
our market with predatory prices; the Chicago Transit Authority
recently awarded a $1.3 billion contract for new rail cars to
the Chinese CRRC Corporation, further undermining U.S. steel;
and
WHEREAS, American tax dollars should be used to back
American companies, support American jobs, build up our
infrastructure, and encourage long term growth in our
industrial and manufacturing sector; and
WHEREAS, Illinois should implement a "Buy America" policy
which would give preference to American companies for publicly
funded infrastructure projects; such a policy would improve our
infrastructure, create jobs, and give Illinois a tool to use
against unfair pricing from foreign companies; and
WHEREAS, Illinois should also institute a "Buy Illinois"
policy, which would give further preference to companies
located in Illinois; and

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WHEREAS, It is within our power to fight back against
Chinese control of the steel market by using taxpayer dollars
to support American jobs, families, and communities;
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the
importance of steel to the manufacturing base of the United
States, and we support American steel workers and American
steel companies; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge the State of Illinois to implement
both a "Buy America" policy and a "Buy Illinois" policy, which
would help grow the steel industry, create jobs, build the
middle class, and protect American companies and workers.