GOVERNOR RELEASES STATEMENT ON U.S. STEEL TARIFFS
COLUMBUS (December 4, 2003) - Governor Taft today released the following statement regarding President Bush's decision to lift U.S. steel tariffs:
"President Bush made a very difficult decision today, and in light of assurances that the administration will carefully monitor imports, and the severe retaliatory measures that we would have faced had the tariffs continued, I support his decision.
"The President's steel tariffs have played a critical role in preserving 20,000 steel jobs in the state and I believe that we would not have any steel jobs left in Ohio had it not been for the breathing room that we got from the tariffs.
"We're going to continue with our Ohio Steel Initiative to assist steel companies that need help. Together with the protection the President's steel tariffs gave us, we've been able to preserve thousands of steel jobs in Ohio, and I'm grateful for that."
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Contact: Orest Holubec, press secretary, at (614) 644-0957