Accessibility menu
State Representative Carly Melin
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-0172
For more information contact: Jenny Nash 651-296-4122
Press/News Releases
STATE LAWMAKERS MELIN, RUKAVINA, AND TOMASSONI INTRODUCE LEGISLATION REQUIRING AMERICAN-MADE STEEL IN PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS
Bill will strengthen Northern Minnesota’s mining industry and create jobs
(ST. PAUL) – State lawmakers Rep. Carly Melin (DFL–Hibbing), Rep. Tom Rukavina (DFL–Virginia), and Sen. David Tomassoni (DFL–Chisholm) have introduced high priority legislation to buoy the economy and spur job growth on the Iron Range by requiring state funded public works projects to be built using steel products made in America. The bill will be given an official House File number on the first day of the legislative session.
"Public works projects like roads, bridges, railways, waterways, wastewater systems, colleges and state buildings should be built using American-made steel products," explained Rep. Melin. “This bill was crafted for all the people of Northeast Minnesota whose livelihood depends on the mining industry, which produces millions of tons of iron ore pellets each year for steel. Requiring public works projects to be made with U.S. steel will strengthen Northern Minnesota’s mining industry and keep these hardworking men and women on the job."
“One key task this session is to pass a comprehensive bonding package that allows the state to issue bonds to fix Minnesota’s ageing infrastructure,” said Rep. Rukavina. “State funded construction projects in the bonding bill, or any other bill for that matter, should be built with U.S. steel products. Infrastructure spending -- whether to build a road or a stadium -- puts lots of people to work and using American-made steel products will maximize the economic benefit. It is good policy to keep as many of our tax dollars as possible in our state and country.”
"We have abundant resources and a highly skilled workforce right here; it is wrong to buy or import from abroad and send our tax dollars and jobs elsewhere, particularly, when construction and manufacturing workers are struggling with high unemployment at home,” said Sen. Tomassoni.
Rep. Melin added, “The recession has been devastating for construction and manufacturing workers and their families. This bill will get unemployed workers on the Iron Range and across the country back on the job and earning a paycheck. When people are working they are buying items and paying taxes, it has a multiplier effect on the economy.”
This common-sense legislation is a top legislative priority for Rep. Melin, Rep. Rukavina, and Sen. Tomassoni in 2012.
--30--
News Items
- STATE REP. CARLY MELIN APPOINTED TO KEY HOUSE COMMITTEES NAMED VICE-CHAIR OF THE JUDICIARY FINANCE AND POLICY COMMITTEE - (Posted: Dec 20 2012 12:00AM)
- MELIN: STATE DISASTER RELIEF IS ON THE WAY - (Posted: 2012-08-24 00:00:00)
- REPRESENTATIVE MELIN AND SENATOR TOMASSONI SECURE CENTRAL IRON RANGE SANITARY SEWER DISTRICT GRANT - (Posted: 2012-07-31 00:00:00)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.