Washington — Both U.S. representatives who cover Butler County testified Tuesday before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to support American steel manufacturers for relief from Chinese imports.

On Oct. 15, the commission will issue a final ruling on whether Chinese imports of seamless line pipe have harmed domestic steel manufacturers. If it rules that they have, the U.S. Department of Commerce will then be able to impose duties on these imports.

Congressman Jason Altmire's 4th District has two TMK IPSCO manufacturing facilities at Ambridge and Koppel.

Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper, D-3rd, backed the TMK IPSCO plant in Ambridge and U.S. Steel.

The United Steelworkers also are involved in seeking antidumping and countervailing duty relief from China.

In October 2009, the ITC determined there is a "reasonable indication" the U.S. seamless pipe industry is threatened by subsidized Chinese pipe.

According to a news release from Dahlkemper's office, she testified, "The evidence is very clear that in the case of the seamless pipe industry, China has not been playing by the rules. They are benefiting from an artificial competitive edge they created, and it's time this stopped.

"Their unfair trade practices are hurting businesses and workers in Pennsylvania. We must be firm and enforce trade policies that give American workers and businesses a fair shake."

The volume of U.S. imports of seamless pipe from China more than doubled, rising from 158,000 net tons in 2006 to 366,000 net tons in 2008, according to a news release from Dahlkemper's office.

Although demand for seamless pipe declined significantly in early 2009, another 123,000 tons of Chinese imports entered the U.S. market that year, more than double the domestic shipments over the same period.

In a news release from Altmire's office, he testified, "American companies deserve to have the opportunity to compete in a fair market.

"In recent years, a surge in Chinese seamless line pipe imports has put TMK IPSCO and other domestic steel companies at an unfair disadvantage. The ITC should recognize the toll that China's unfair trading practices have taken on America's steel industry and issue a ruling that will safeguard American jobs by providing these companies with much-needed relief."

Seamless line pipe is used to convey oil, natural gas, and other fluids in pipe lines, transmission lines, and gathering lines. Between 2006 and 2008, the amount of Chinese seamless line pipe imported into the U.S. more than doubled, greatly eroding domestic manufacturers' share of the market.