Nearly a third of the steel being purchased in the United States is being made by foreign steelworkers, and it's taking a toll.

Steelmakers have idled mills, including East Chicago Tin. Thousands nationwide, including all recent hires at U.S. Steel's Gary Works, have been laid off. Steelworkers fear more cuts are coming.

Congress is looking to do something about it.

Congressman Pete Visclosky, D-Merrillville, and Congressman Tim Murphy, R-Pa., will lead the Congressional Steel Caucus's annual "State of Steel" hearing Thursday. The bipartisan group of federal lawmakers will hear about the market turbulence that's shook the domestic steel industry, as well as international trade practices, currency valuation and steel market needs.

The Times will send a reporter to Washington, D.C., to report on Thursday's hearing and interview key business and congressional players about the current crisis.

Members of the caucus will talk with top industry executives, including U.S. Steel President and CEO Mario Longhi, ArcelorMittal USA Chairman Michael Rippey, and Nucor Corp. CEO and President John Ferriola. They will discuss how trade policies are affecting manufacturing, particularly the production of the internationally traded commodity steel.

Other subjects will include tax reform and infrastructure funding, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.

United Steelworkers International President Leo Gerard and a host of industry experts also will tell Congress about what's ailing an industry where capacity utilization has fallen below 70 percent and production trails last year's rate by more than 5 percent.