On June 9, AGC and the business community urged President Biden to remove steel and aluminum tariffs and quotas on the nation’s allies to help address significant price and availability issues for those construction materials. For instance, a widely watched index of steel prices rose 11% in April alone, setting new record highs each week. Many suppliers have warned of difficulty in securing truck or rail transportation from factories, distribution centers and ports. One steel manufacturer, for example, reported on April 28 having to wait 15 days for railcars to ship a load of steel. Recent reports speculate that the president and European Union leaders could next week announce plans to remove some steel and aluminum tariffs by Dec. 1, 2021. Members of the White House National Economic Council recently met with AGC’s Chief Economist Ken Simonson, who communicated the severity of the construction materials situation and the need to immediately remove such tariffs and quotas to help provide some relief.
For more information, contact Ken Simonson at (703) 837-5313 or ken.simonson@agc.org.