Ruppersberger Issues Statement About Steel Plant Sale
The Congressman says that steel plant that has helped build this country for 120 years should remain for another 120 years.
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U.S. Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger on Friday issued the following statement regarding Wednesday's sale of RG Steel's Sparrows Point stell plant to an industrial liquidator:
“The Sparrows Point plant and its steelworkers have produced the steel that has literally built our country for the last 120 years. It could and should continue for another 120 years. With a prime location in one of the best deep-water ports in the United States, one of the country’s largest blast furnaces, a state-of-the-art continuous cold rolling mill and the world’s best workers, it remains a viable operation for a smart buyer with access to raw materials. While this week’s auction did not produce this buyer, it did buy time to find one over the next six months. The hard-working men and women of Sparrows Point stand at the ready and those of us on the local, state and federal levels stand firmly by them.
When America’s auto makers hit hard times, our country rallied behind them. The American auto industry has returned to profitability and has added more than 200,000 jobs since June 2009. The cost to taxpayers was far less than if the companies had collapsed.
Now, our steel manufacturers need our help. They are falling behind competitors in China and Japan and require creative solutions. We must forge new partnerships between government and the private sector, fight unfair foreign export restraints on important raw materials, create incentives for manufacturers to grow and hire and invest in rebuilding our country’s infrastructure.”
I am a Concerned Citizen
11:47 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
Maryland..too worried about casinos..and not worried enough about people............
pat pasek
2:24 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
I pray someone buys the still mill so the hard working men and women will have their jobs that place has keeped this area alive for.many years.
kevin
6:57 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
I wish that it could be saved but realistically it is over. I think it would be better if the county sought out another manufacturing business that will fit there.I don't know what it would be but let us be honest. The workers at Sparrows Point as they were at Baltimore GM were producing far better than other plants. The Baltimore GM was reported to have the best employee to product ratio out of all GM plants. From what I've heard the people left at the Point also were doing superior .Facts are there is no profit in steel or cars,GM is down41% last quarter they are only selling to the goverment.Before you jump on me I'm not being political talk to your stockbroker most will advise you get out while you can,ESPECIALLY if your near retirement. that said if there is no future in US steel is there another product out there ? We have some great workers but I think we should STOP raising false hopes. I don't know the answer and hopefully I'm wrong but it might be better for us to look for other development of the facility.
Joe Dolan
12:56 pm on Saturday, August 11, 2012
Anybody else feel warm and fuzzy about Dutch's comments? Actions Dutch, not just words that ring hollow.
kevin
1:25 pm on Saturday, August 11, 2012
Just how honestly is Dutch going to do anything? I don't see much reported on this but didn't he resign his chairmanship of the powerful committee he led which actually gave him some national power.He did this for the party ,not Maryland.Why he is going to be reelected come on it's Maryland. So let's get over him and concentrate on the poor employees from the plant.We have to come up with a solution,we have NO national influence. It's not Dutch fault we lost the plant.
Buzz Beeler
7:17 pm on Saturday, August 11, 2012
For Dutch, especially after the fact it's another photo-op. It's SOP (standard operating procedure) to stand before the podium with woulda, coulda, shoulda!
John T.
10:49 am on Sunday, August 12, 2012
He's doing the same thing that Mikulski did concernig the bonuses. Taking the opportunity to shore up his base, when he knows there's nothing that he can do. But it's a good statement for the sheep that follow him.
John T.
11:05 am on Sunday, August 12, 2012
Why doesn't the union buy the plant? They can run it how they seem fit, there would be no more strikes, because the union workers would be working for themselves. They can meet the demands of their workers and pay them all of the wages and benefits they demand, and at the end of the year they can share in all of the company's profits. Sounds good, Maybe Dutch should go speak to the union leaders about this option and not be so quick to provide "his support" which means the taxpayer will be on the hook again.
Kenny L.
8:07 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
When was the taxpayer ever on the hook for SP? That would be never. While midwestern and southern states offered SP's competitors tax abatements and other incentives to remain in place, Maryland and Baltimore County did what they do best; they took. I have no doubt Dutch and his buddies sold SP down river for a few campaign contributions. We'll have to wait and see which rock the real owner crawls out from.
John T.
10:25 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
Ruppersberger is talking about supporting SP as we did with the auto industry, which still owes billions to the taxpayers. Any support from Rupperberger, Mikulski and any other politician that wants union support, means we pay. They buy our votes with our money!
Buzz Beeler
10:30 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
John, look at the Obama administration add on encouraging people to go on food stamps, along with his new immigration policy. I think the only word that applies to that is pandering.
John T.
10:50 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
Agreed. They derive their power by spending money (ours). The more people beholding to them for a check, food stamps, other programs the more power they wield. Most of these poiticians (public servants) are millionaires, if not before, then after they get into office. It just looks like more and more people are becoming sheep that can't do or think for themselves.