WASHINGTON -- The International Trade Commission will hear today from federal, state and local officials in support of the domestic tube and pipe industry.

Scheduled to speak on behalf of the industry and manufacturers including V&M Star Steel, which is considering whether to pursue a $970 million expansion in the Mahoning Valley, are U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, and Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, as well as U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa.

Also expected to testify is U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-17 Ohio.

The commission is considering whether to impose anti-dumping duties ranging from 36.53% to 99.14% on Chinese oil industry tubular products.

The U.S. Commerce Department last month issued a preliminary ruling that $2.63 billion of Chinese tube was imported last year, more than triple the $750 million in 2007. The finding resulted from a complaint filed by a group of companies that included V&M, Wheatland Tube, Maverick Tube Corp. and U.S. Steel Corp.

Approval of the anti-dumping duty is considered an important element for V&M officials as they consider whether -- or where -- to proceed with proposed expansion plans. At a meeting last month in Paris, the company’s top management asked Williams, who was making the case for Youngstown as the site for the project, to speak on the impact that the imported Chinese products has had on cities like Youngstown, where V&M has a plant.

Williams discussed his upcoming testimony and other issues during an appearance Monday morning on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal. He said that V&M has the ability to compete globally if the playing field is level but that Chinese companies have been dumping oil and tubular goods on the American market that are “disproportionately affecting” V&M as well as industry competitors.