Steel gives Obama manufacturing plan a thumbs up

Dec 18, 2009 | 09:50 AM | Scott Robertson

U.S. steel industry leaders are nearly unanimous in their praise of an Obama administration plan to focus on revitalizing American manufacturing, but agree that the administration can't stop there.

More than focus will be required to create the kind of jobs necessary to put American manufacturing, and the steel industry that is its lifeblood, back on solid ground, they said.

Among the additional steps required is passage of a new multiyear surface transportation infrastructure bill, some sources said.

Steel industry leaders across the country responded positively to the administration's manufacturing plan, released in a report entitled "A Framework for Revitalizing American Manufacturing".

The plan signals the beginning of a shift in federal government policy, making clear that manufacturing is important to national economic strength, according to Leo W. Gerard, president of the United Steelworkers union. He called for creation of an action plan that would stem the hemorrhage of manufacturing capacity and employment in the United States and put the manufacturing sector back on the path to growth and job creation.....