Pennsylvania House State Government Committee advances two manufacturing bills

The Pennsylvania House State Government Committee recently advanced two bills addressing domestic manufacturing and steel jobs.

H.B. 2013, the Underground Utility Line Protection Law, would require American-made steel to be used in the construction and repair of underground pipelines.

Under Pennsylvania law, steel is considered American-made if at least 75 percent of the raw material and production occur in the United States.

H.B. 2014, the Steel Products Procurement Act, would mandate construction or repair projects done by a private companies receiving taxpayer funding must use American-made steel.

The bills, introduced by state Rep. Frank Burns (D-Cambria), state House Steel Caucus co-chairman, aim to end the economy’s reliance on other nations and reverse certain trade policies.

“This is one way to bring back good-paying, family-sustaining jobs – by leveling the playing field for hardworking people and industries that were economically steamrolled by unfair competition,” Burns said.

“Since 2001 our state has lost more than 300,000 manufacturing jobs to corporate profitability and one-way trade deals, a statistic that should sicken any American. It’s well past time for this legislature to take bold, decisive action to bring those jobs back, to rebuild the middle class, and to bring PA back as an industrial powerhouse.”

The bills move to the full House for consideration.