Legislators with the Congressional Steel Caucus sent a letter to leading members of the House of Representatives on Monday expressing concern over pending climate change legislation and hope that new laws will help the domestic steel industry remain competitive.

The caucus, led by Rep. Peter Visclosky, sent the letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment Chairman Edward Markey, D-Mass.

The letter calls for tools to ensure imports are subject to the same carbon costs that are placed on domestic goods and credits to account for the value of emissions-reducing efforts at steel mills and other plants.

"Climate change is real, it is man-made, and we have to do something about it, but the solution must be fair and equitable for American steelworkers and other manufacturers so that they don't lose jobs to China, India and Brazil, where there are no emissions penalties," Visclosky, a Democrat from Merrillville, said in a statement. "Our steelworkers are the most efficient in the world, but they have enough challenges competing against illegally subsidized imports as it is. We cannot afford to hamstring them even more with unfair carbon caps and taxes that would imperil their jobs."

Politico reported Monday that Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee postponed consideration of legislation, including a proposal to cap carbon emissions, amid disagreement from members within the party.

In the letter, the caucus did not say it was for or against a cap-and-trade system, but said allowances or rebates must be made for "energy-intensive and trade-sensitive industries, such as steel."

Visclosky spokesman Jacob Ritvo said there's constant dialogue at the staff level between members of Congress, but it was too early to tell if a follow-up meeting would be scheduled to address the caucus' specific concerns. Ritvo said the caucus also receives input from the steel industry and steelworkers to make sure their voices are heard.

The letter said the steel industry has reduced total energy consumption by more than 33 percent since 1990 and will continue the trend.

The caucus is a bipartisan group of more than 100 members of Congress.