America’s economic and national security depend on strengthening domestic cement production and reducing our vulnerability to low-quality foreign imports. The new Section 301 investigations signal that Washington is finally waking up to this critical reality. As a former member of Congress, I believe we need a clear, bipartisan strategy that treats cement as the strategic resource it is, starting with policies that mandate American-made cement in our infrastructure, housing and defense supply chains. 

Cement is far more than a simple commodity. It is the foundation of our modern economy and daily life. It underpins our homes, schools, hospitals, businesses, roads, bridges, ports and airports, virtually every piece of critical infrastructure Americans rely on. 

The American cement and concrete industry directly and indirectly supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions in economic activity every year, strengthening communities across the country. Right here in Michigan, the 7th-largest cement-producing state, a thriving industry makes sizable contributions to the local economy and employs thousands. These are good-paying, blue-collar jobs, including cement masons, concrete finishers, plant workers and truck drivers — all of whom literally build our communities from the ground up. 

Because government at every level is a dominant customer, with public procurement accounting for roughly half of all US cement consumption, policymakers possess a powerful tool to shape the market and strengthen the resiliency of our supply chain. Well-crafted public policy is therefore essential, especially considering the billions Michigan has received in recent years from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the state’s Building Michigan Together Plan. 

Michigan continues to face numerous infrastructure challenges, including an outdated drinking water infrastructure, bridges in poor repair and underinvestment in our roadways. When government demand is met with American-made cement, we are not simply pouring concrete, we are reinforcing our middle class, our industrial base and our long-term economic security.  

Despite cement’s strategic importance, domestic production has declined while our dependence on imports has surged to more than 20% of US consumption. In 2025, US cement output fell even as demand remained strong, allowing excess foreign production to flood the marketplace. That trend should alarm anyone who values American manufacturing independence and supply chain security. 

Increasing volumes of low-priced, low-quality foreign cement, often subsidized by structural overcapacity overseas, are undercutting American producers and workers. Excess capacity in countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam and others has flooded global markets, depressing prices and stifling investment in US plants and quarries. If we continue to allow foreign oversupply to hollow out our domestic industry, we risk waking up one day to find our most basic infrastructure needs held hostage to the decisions of foreign governments and state-backed companies. 

Part of the challenge is self-inflicted. Over time, burdensome permitting requirements, regulatory uncertainty and prolonged approval timelines have made it increasingly difficult to expand or modernize domestic cement production capacity in the United States. As a direct consequence, there are now only three active cement plants in Michigan. 

Environmental stewardship matters, but America should not continue adopting policies that effectively push manufacturing overseas to countries operating under far weaker environmental and labor standards. A smarter approach would streamline permitting, encourage investment in cleaner American production technologies and strengthen Michigan manufacturing without sacrificing responsible environmental protections. 

Reversing our dangerous dependence on foreign cement requires a deliberate, growth-oriented, America First agenda at every level of government. Policymakers must ensure that American-made cement becomes the standard for public projects and formally recognize cement as critical infrastructure. These are fundamental, commonsense steps that will not only protect existing jobs and plants, but also catalyze new investment, new facilities and cutting-edge technologies that make American cement cleaner, more efficient and more competitive. 

Michiganders deserve to live, work and worship in communities built upon strong, reliable foundations, not on the shifting sands of foreign dependence and unfair trade. We have the skilled workers, the resources and the expertise to meet our cement needs right here at home. With smart policy choices, we can ensure that the next generation of American infrastructure rests on American-made, Michigan-made cement.

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