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 News from Around the Americas | October 2007 
DHS Criticized for Chinese Steel in US-Mexico Fence
 Ian Swanson - The Hill
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 |  | It is beyond outrageous that we’re using Chinese steel to build a border fence to protect us against illegal immigration.
- Rep. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) |  | |
House members allied with the domestic steel industry blasted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday for building a fence on the Mexican border with steel products from China.
“By allowing the use of Chinese pipe, DHS is allowing the U.S. taxpayer to subsidize Chinese production at the expense of the American workers,” Rep. Phil English (R-Pa.) said at a press conference. “This is completely unacceptable.”
“This is outrageous, it’s offensive and it’s unacceptable,” charged Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.).
“It is beyond outrageous that we’re using Chinese steel to build a border fence to protect us against illegal immigration,” said Rep. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.), who also joined the press conference.
English displayed photos of a portion of the border fence from San Luis, Ariz., that shows pipes marked “China” holding the fence in place. English’s office was told that a site evaluation by Customs Border Protection (CBP) showed that 60 of 700 posts at the site, or less than 10 percent, were marked with “China.”
DHS’s Office of Congressional Affairs indicated to English’s office that it had waived so-called Buy American rules, which normally require the use of U.S. steel in such projects, in order to use the Chinese pipe and tube, English said.
The DHS Office of Public Affairs referred questions to Customs Border Protection, which did not respond by press time.
English and other lawmakers attending the press conference said they did not know whether there had been a bidding process that led to the use of the Chinese goods. They also said they were unaware of whether any U.S. companies had bid for contracts related to the fence only to be turned down.
GOP presidential hopeful Rep. Duncan Hunter (Calif.), who authored a bill signed into law last year mandating 850 miles of fence along the border, said DHS should have gone to U.S. producers to procure any necessary steel or pipe.
“The Department of Homeland Security has, the last time I checked, $800 million cash on hand available to build the border fence. So they don’t have to go and get cut-rate deals to build the border fence,” Hunter said. U.S. pipe-makers can “easily” supply the products necessary for the fence, he insisted.
Hunter also criticized DHS for building only 5.11 miles of the “double-fence” required by his bill. “The idea that we see so little fence built a year later, and when it’s built, it’s utilizing Chinese steel, is totally unacceptable,” said Hunter, who has taken stands against illegal immigration in his presidential campaign.
Hunter and English also have authored controversial bills in this session of Congress that would impose new rules on imports of Chinese goods. So far, the House Ways and Means Committee has not moved China trade legislation, but English said he remained hopeful
Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.) said he was concerned about the safety of Chinese steel. However, when pressed, he and other lawmakers could not cite any specific safety problems that might result from the use of foreign pipe in a fence. Visclosky did note other safety issues that have recently come up with toys from China, while English said the use of Chinese inputs in U.S. infrastructure prompts broader concerns.
Members of the congressional steel caucus have invited DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff to testify at an Oct. 31 hearing on possible safety issues regarding Chinese pipe. |
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