Outgoing Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) on Friday praised President Biden's decision to block Japan's Nippon Steel Corp.'s acquisition of U.S. Steel, a deal worth $14 billion.
“This deal was done behind closed doors, with no workers at the table, and it represented a clear threat to America's national and economic security and ability to enforce our trade laws. That's why we fought it every step of the way. The president is right to stop it,” Brown posted on social platform X.
Brown, who represented Ohio in the Senate for 18 years before seeking re-election in November, led the fight in Congress against the deal from the beginning.
Biden said Friday that the deal would threaten national security.
“It is my solemn mission as president to ensure that America has a strong, domestically owned and operated steel industry that can continue to provide the source of our national strength at home and abroad, now and into the future,” Biden said in a statement. It's a responsibility.” .
Biden said his decision to block foreign ownership of “significant American companies” fulfills that responsibility.
In April, Brown urged Biden to investigate Nippon Steel's ties to China, citing a consulting firm's report that said Nippon Steel was “fundamentally tied to China's steel industry.” .
Nippon Steel told Reuters in a statement at the time that the report was “full of inaccuracies and falsehoods.”
Other Ohio lawmakers, including Vice President-elect J.D. Vance (R) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D), have also expressed concerns about the foreign takeover of U.S. Steel.
Brown has not said what his plans are after leaving Congress, but he is keeping his options open and could be a future candidate for the Senate seat that Vance will vacate when he becomes vice president later this month. There is sex.
