PRINTER'S NO. 3659
No. 519 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY COLAFELLA, DeWEESE, LAUGHLIN, PETRARCA, PALLONE,
PIPPY, PISTELLA, SOLOBAY, SAINATO, WALKO, FRANKEL, COSTA,
DALEY, DeLUCA, DIVEN, BELARDI, BELFANTI, BEBKO-JONES,
LEVDANSKY, HARHAI, WOJNAROSKI, HASAY, MUNDY, CREIGHTON,
YUDICHAK, YOUNGBLOOD, MELIO, SAYLOR, ROBINSON, STABACK,
MICOZZIE, WANSACZ, MARKOSEK, JOSEPHS, HORSEY, GRUCELA,
CAPPELLI, STEELMAN, GEORGE, CLYMER, CORRIGAN, J. WILLIAMS,
BROWNE, D. EVANS, FREEMAN, CALTAGIRONE, THOMAS, READSHAW,
KENNEY, LUCYK, DALLY AND J. TAYLOR, APRIL 11, 2002
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS,
APRIL 11, 2002
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing the President and Congress of the United States to
2 support and pass legislation protecting employees and
3 retirees whose health care plans have been terminated by
4 companies as a result of financial difficulties caused in
5 whole or in part by unfairly traded foreign imports and to
6 earmark all revenues from new tariffs on unfairly traded
7 foreign steel imports for employees and retirees whose health
8 care plans have been terminated.
9 WHEREAS, In the 1980s the American steel industry experienced
10 an economic crisis due to existing trade policies resulting in
11 steel mill shutdowns, steelworker layoffs and a weakening of the
12 entire steel industry; and
13 WHEREAS, In the early 1990s the American steel industry
14 experienced a period of relative stability; and
15 WHEREAS, In late 1997 and early 1998 the Asian economic
16 crisis and the collapse of the Russian economy produced a flood
17 of manufactured products, including steel, leading to the most
1 serious crisis for the steel industry since the 1980s; and
2 WHEREAS, That crisis resulted in the layoffs of 10,000
3 steelworkers, bankruptcy of steel companies, weakening of the
4 entire steel industry and increase in the level of imports
5 deemed "normal and acceptable" by the Federal Government; and
6 WHEREAS, In the week ending December 30, 2000, the steel
7 industry operated at less than 65% of capacity, its lowest
8 operating level in 14 years; and
9 WHEREAS, Since the beginning of the Asian economic crisis, 14
10 steel companies have been driven into bankruptcy and many others
11 are on the brink of bankruptcy; and
12 WHEREAS, The bankruptcy and potential bankruptcy of steel
13 companies represents a threat to the health benefits of
14 employees and retirees; and
15 WHEREAS, The President has imposed tariffs of up to 30% on
16 most types of steel imported into the United States; therefore
17 be it
18 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
19 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the President and
20 Congress to support and pass legislation establishing a Health
21 Care Benefit Guarantee Corporation similar to the Pension
22 Benefit Guarantee Corporation to ensure benefits to those
23 employees and retirees whose health care plans have been
24 terminated by companies as a result of financial difficulties
25 caused in whole or in part by unfairly traded foreign imports;
26 and be it further
27 RESOLVED, That any revenue derived from new tariffs imposed
28 on steel imported into the United States be deposited into the
29 Health Care Benefit Guarantee Corporation to ensure benefits to
30 those employees and retirees whose health care plans have been
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1 terminated; and be it further
2 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
3 the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
4 member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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