Brown Urges Administration to Stand Up for Jobs in Washington County by Enforcing Trade Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker urging the Department to take action if Russia continues to impede an investigation into unfairly traded imports of ferrosilicon from Russia. Recent reports indicate that Russian exporters are undermining the Commerce Department’s investigation by withholding key information necessary to determine the duties that would be imposed on Russian imports if they are deemed as “unfairly dumped” into American markets. Brown’s letter is aimed at protecting jobs at American manufacturers like Beverly, Ohio’s Globe Metallurgical, an alloy producer which manufactures ferrosilicon.

“Manufacturing is the backbone of the American economy and Ohio manufacturers can compete with any in the world,” Brown said. “But they deserve to compete on a level playing field. That means holding accountable countries that violate trade law by illegally dumping their products into our markets. When we do, we help ensure that American companies like Globe Metallurgical in Beverly can continue to provide quality American-made materials used in the manufacturing of steel and cast iron.”

Brown’s letter to Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker notes that Russian producers are changing and concealing critical data about their home market sales process, products sold, and dates of sale. This information is crucial in the Department’s investigation and final calculation of anti-dumping margins. These concealments and misreporting can lead to a negative preliminary determination, which would limit Commerce’s ability to impose trade remedies on Russian imports. 

The full text of the letter is below:

May 21, 2014

The Honorable Penny Pritzker

Secretary

U.S. Department of Commerce

1401 Constitution Ave, NW

Washington, D.C. 20230

Dear Secretary Pritzker:

I write to express concern about the preliminary findings by the Department of Commerce in the antidumping investigation into imports of ferrosilicon from Russia. 

I am troubled by reports that Russian producers are impeding the investigation by changing and withholding key information needed to determine the dumping margin properly.  Specifically, the respondents have withheld necessary data about their home market sales process, products sold, and dates of sale, all of which are critical to the Department’s calculations.  The concealment and misreporting of this information led to a negative preliminary determination.

Critical omissions continue to exist.  The Department has the authority to base its decision on “adverse facts available” when respondents undermine the investigation by failing to cooperate or withholding key facts needed to make the dumping determination.  I urge Commerce to use this authority if it finds that Russian producers have impeded the investigation.

A ferrosilicon plant in Ohio has been injured by the Russian imports, and it is critical that the Department issue a final determination that will allow U.S. producers and their workers to compete with the dumped imports on a fair basis.

I look forward to working with you to ensure U.S. manufacturers compete on a level playing field.

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