Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12), Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17), and 10 other state lawmakers have co-introduced a bill aimed at bolstering U.S.-based manufacturing and returning next-generation iron and steel production to the Pittsburgh area. Titled the Modern Steel Act, the legislation also seeks to revitalize deindustrialized communities.

According to a press release issued by Lee, the legislation would generate good-paying jobs and help ensure that companies cooperate with communities to address environmental concerns. It would also incentivize the production of cleaner steel and iron, which would decrease emissions.

"The Modern Steel Act will enable our region to once again lead in steel production, pioneering clean manufacturing technologies, creating thousands of good-paying union jobs, and reclaiming our title as the Steel Capital of the World," Lee stated in the press release.

Congresswoman Summer Lee | Congresswoman Summer Lee Facebook account

In 2021, the United States imported approximately $717 million worth of steel from China, according to Statista.

China is responsible for approximately 55% of global steel production, The Diplomat reported.

Kevin Dempsey, president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute, expressed his support for the bill. He is encouraged by the tax incentives, which he said will increase investment in breakthrough technologies and current innovations. "While the American steel industry leads the world in clean steel production, we still have a long way to go to get to near zero emissions," Dempsey said in the press release.