Border Fence Shuts Out U.S. Steelworkers, Threatens Environment

Border Fence Shuts Out U.S. Steelworkers, Threatens Environment

by James Parks, Oct 23, 2007

A section of the fence along the U.S.-Mexico border was made with pipe from China.

Once again, the Bush administration is sending work overseas that could be done here and ignoring laws that get in the way of what it wants to accomplish.

This time it’s the $1.2 billion, 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border that’s supposed to make us more secure. Seems part of the fence is made out of pipes from China, and it’s being built in a way that’s jeopardizing one of the world’s top natural wonders.

Members of the Congressional Steel Caucus, who represent districts where the steel industry is struggling, condemned the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for using Chinese-made pipe when U.S. companies could do the job.

Says Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.), chairman of the Steel Caucus:

The Chinese can’t make safe toys, and this is the national security infrastructure.

A member of the United Steelworkers (USW), Mickey Bolt of Transfer, Pa., was the one who blew the whistle on DHS. He saw pictures of the pipes with “China” written on them and sent the picture to his congressman, Rep. Phil English (R-Pa.), whose staff confirmed through sources at DHS that Chinese pipe was being used on the project. Bolt, who worked at pipe maker Wheatland Tube Co. for 31 years, told the Sharon, Pa., Herald: