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Proponent Testimony on House Bill 284 — Kevin Schmidt, Ohio Cast Metals Association (June 18, 2025)

Summary

Proponent testimony on House Bill 284, dated June 18, 2025, addressed to Chairman Jim Hoops and the House Development Committee, signed /s/ Kevin Schmidt, Executive Director of the Ohio Cast Metals Association. The testimony says the bill extends the requirement for state-funded projects to use U.S.-produced iron alongside existing mandates for U.S.-produced steel, expands the scope to infrastructure and utility projects, and ensures compliance by state institutions of higher education. It states that the association has represented foundries and suppliers across Ohio since 1991 and urges the committee to support HB 284.

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“Proponent Testimony on House Bill 284 — Kevin Schmidt, Ohio Cast Metals Association (June 18, 2025).” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2025-06-18-development-testimony-testimony-10438-7491a6fdfc/, SHA-256 a9ae4ffacf6fce136e03e41886d9aae6950e6456da52cdcd362a6b540f0ffbda.

Full text

                                        Jessica Ulmer-West, OCMA President, Liberty Castings
                                                     Kevin Schmidt, OCMA Executive Director




June 18, 2025

Chairman Jim Hoops​
Ohio Development Committee​
77 South High Street, 13th Floor​
Columbus, OH 43215

RE: Proponent Testimony on House Bill 284

Chairman Hoops, Vice Chairman Lorenz, Ranking Member Abdullahi, and members of
the House Development Committee, thank you for allowing me to testify today as a
proponent of House Bill 284. My name is Kevin Schmidt and I am the Executive Director
of the Ohio Cast Metals Association (OCMA), representing foundries and suppliers across
Ohio since 1991.

On behalf of our members, I strongly support House Bill 284, which extends the
requirement for state-funded projects to use U.S.-produced iron alongside existing
mandates for U.S.-produced steel, expands the scope to infrastructure and utility
projects, and ensures compliance by state institutions of higher education. This
legislation strengthens Ohio’s cast metals industry, promotes economic growth, and
secures jobs.

HB 284 directly benefits the cast metals industry in Ohio who produce high-quality iron
castings for automotive, aerospace, and infrastructure sectors. By mandating
U.S.-produced iron in state-funded projects—like water works, sewage disposal, and
university construction—this bill ensures a level playing field for our foundries, mirroring
the protections Ohio’s steel industry has long enjoyed under laws like R.C. 153.011. This
alignment fosters fair competition against foreign imports, which often undercut
domestic producers.

By prioritizing U.S.-produced iron, this bill will increase demand for our Ohio’s
manufactured products, enabling investments in technology and workforce expansion.
For example, states like Pennsylvania have boosted their foundry sectors through similar
domestic sourcing policies, and Ohio can achieve comparable gains, with tax revenues
supporting the state and local communities.

                              The Ohio Cast Metals Association
                              815 Grandview Avenue, Suite 300
                                   Columbus, Ohio 43215
Second, the bill enhances regulatory consistency. Extending the steel industry’s Buy
America-style requirements to iron ensures that state-funded projects, from bridges to
water systems, use domestically sourced materials. The Director of Administrative
Services’ rules, aligned with federal standards like the Safe Drinking Water Act, will
streamline compliance, while the Director of Transportation’s exemption for bridge
projects ensures flexibility without compromising intent.

OCMA has advocated for policies like HB 284 for decades and are pleased to see this
legislation targeting US based iron products. We urge the committee to support HB 284
to strengthen Ohio’s cast metals industry, align it with steel industry protections, and
promote economic vitality. Thank you for your consideration. I’m happy to answer any
questions.

Sincerely,

/s/

Kevin Schmidt​
Executive Director, Ohio Cast Metals Association




                          The The Ohio Cast Metals Association
                            88 East Broad Street, Suite 1770
                                Columbus, Ohio 43215

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