A quick and proper response

Last week we editorialized in favor of the Commerce Department extending the Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis System, which monitors how much foreign steel is imported into the United States.
To our delight, the Commerce Department did just that within a day.
Ah, the power of the press! Actually any one newspaper's editorial has, at best, an infinitesimal effect on U.S. trade policy. But calls for extension of SIMA were widespread, and all those voices have to count for something.
Also, it makes perfect sense to keep track of and publicize import information, especially that involving vital U.S. industries.
SIMA was introduced in 2003, at a time when cheap foreign steel was flooding the U.S. market. It was designed to monitor those products that would be covered by tariffs that were being instituted to combat the dumping of steel on the U.S. market.
Pushing the deadline
The tariffs were lifted early, and the monitoring system was to expire this Sunday. Now, SIMA has not only been extended to 2009, it has been expanded to include all basic steel mill products -- wire rod, heavy structural beams, oil country tubular goods, and stainless steel sheet and strip.
The U.S. steel industry has made a strong rebound, with the largest companies reporting record profits. But many smaller independents are still struggling in their niche markets and it will be important for the government to track threats to those companies from unfair exporting practices by other countries.
Sudden surges should set off alarms in the domestic industry and in government.
SIMA will require the government to collect data including the steel product being imported, its value, the volume of the order and its port of entry.
As the approach of the sunset date for SIMA drew closer, the U.S. steel industry was getting increasingly uncomfortable with what the failure of the Commerce Department to act might say about the attitude of the new Secretary of Commerce, Carlos Gutierrez.
We can all breath a little easier now, but only time will tell if Gutierrez has a strong commitment to protecting the steel industry and other vulnerable industries from unfair trade practices.