Trump Signs Memo Mandating American-Made Steel for Pipeline Projects

by Jeff Yoders on JANUARY 24, 2017

In addition to executive orders essentially reviving the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines this morning, President Donald Trump signed a memorandum that will require the secretary of Commerce (his nominee, Wilbur Ross, still awaits confirmation) to come up with a plan to mandate American-made steel for all new, expanded or retrofitted pipelines in the U.S. The plan is due in six months.

“Going to put a lot of workers, a lot of steelworkers, back to work,” Trump said after signing the memo. According to the memo, “produced in the United States” shall mean:

With regard to iron or steel products, that all manufacturing processes for such iron or steel products, from the initial melting stage through the application of coatings, occurred in the U.S.

Steel or iron material or products manufactured abroad from semi-finished steel or iron from the U.S. are not “produced in the U.S.” for purposes of this memorandum.

Steel or iron material or products manufactured in the U.S. from semi-finished steel or iron of foreign origin are not “produced in the United States” for purposes of this memorandum.

Trump also urged the chief executives of the Big Three U.S. automakers to build more cars in the U.S., pressing his pledge to bring jobs to America and discourage Ford Motor Company, General Motors and Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles from investing in Mexico.

Trump has threatened to impose 35% tariffs on imported vehicles and opened the White House meeting with General Motors CEO Mary Barra, Ford CEO Mark Fields and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV CEO Sergio Marchionne saying he wants to see more auto plants in the U.S.