King also was set to tour a farm in Ellsworth and the Monsanto Company in Clarion.

The tour is intended to give King an opportunity to visit with constituents in order to get a better idea of the economy throughout the area and to gather feedback on any pending legislative issues that are affecting the lives of residents in Iowa’s Fourth Congressional District, according to Jim Oberhelman, King’s spokesman.

Seneca Foundry is a fourth-generation, family-owned business that manufactures custom-made gray and iron ductile iron casings for customers worldwide.

The business in west Webster City employs 45 people, working two shifts, according to Lori Mason, Seneca Foundry chief operating officer.

-Messenger photo by Teresa Wood
TOP: U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, tours Seneca Foundry in Webster City on Monday. Chad Shawler, Seneca Foundry operations manager, shows King a mould created through the lost foam process. Jeff Vorhies, process engineer, looks on in the background.

Seneca Foundry President Kirk McCollough introduced King to Chad Shawler, operations manager; Jeff Vorhies, process engineer; and John Davis, mechanical engineer, who together conducted the tour through the plant which incorporates three moulding processes in its manufacturing.

Following the tour, King spoke briefly before answering employees’ questions.

“The economy is now building up instead of tearing down,” said King.

He said the country is now seeing the lowest unemployment it has seen in decades with more than 156 million people in the work force.

He noted that Iowa’s prosperity is tied to two things: agriculture and manufacturing.

“For me to come in and see this operation today, when decisions are made in Washington, I want to keep you all in mind,” he said.

Asked about how the new tariffs will affect the steel industry, King said he did not support President Trump’s initiating the a trade war. But he said the president’s economic advisors have asked for time in negotiating a deal with China. King said he has urged the administration to get the deal accomplished before the fall in order to reduce any further negative impact on manufacturers.

“Millions of jobs are at risk because of the tariff on processed steel,” he said.

Asked about his view of President Trump, King told the group that while Trump was not his first choice as president, America wanted a person who was an enigma with brinkmanship skills and they got it.

“We are riding a tiger,” said King, who added that the president has a multidimensional way of governing. “But I am all in with the president.”

There are many facets to the trade war with China, King said in answer to a question. While the U.S. and China face off, Brazil is taking advantage of the discourse to increase its oil pipeline output and soybean production.

“We are in a months-long trough that we will have to work our way out of and bring China to the table,” said King.

One of the biggest barriers to any agreement is the $600 billion theft of American intellectual property that China is stealing annually, he said.

He anticipates negotiations will continue for at least six more months.

King talked about the $12 billion subsidy for grain producers during the tariff war and said that while he has confidence in U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.

Producers want markets, not subsidies, he said.

King agreed with a questioner that often Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations have a detrimental impact on the manufacturing sector.

“The thing is, we don’t review regulations,” he said, noting that rules sometimes have the force and effect of law when they are directed by the executive branch. He said that while he introduced a bill seven years ago that required all regulations be reviewed every 10 years and any new regulations be sunsetted every 10 years, the legislation is still in limbo in the U.S. Senate.

“It takes a long time to get the country back on the rails once it has been derailed,” King said.

King applauded Seneca Foundry for its work.

“Iowa has the best work ethic in the country and in the world,” he said. “I really appreciate what you do and the product that you put out. Now I will try to hold up my end of this.”