Press Release Via Garamendi.house.gov

 

Bipartisan and Bicameral Legislation Would Strengthen Buy American Requirements for Taxpayer-funded Infrastructure Projects

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA03) and U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Mike Braun (R-IN) reintroduced the “Made in America Act” to strengthen “Buy America” requirements for all major federally funded infrastructure projects to support American businesses, manufacturers, and workers.

The “Made in America Act” identifies federal programs that fund infrastructure projects not currently subject to “Buy America” standards and ensures that building materials used in these taxpayer-funded projects, including steel and iron, are produced domestically. When certifying that materials used in construction are “Made in America,” the bill requires the U.S. Department of Commerce to ensure that their manufacturing processes support American jobs.

“Congress is poised to make the most significant investment in our nation’s infrastructure in nearly half a century. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to advance commonsense ‘Buy American’ and ‘Make it in America’ policies to rebuild and modernize our nation’s crumbling infrastructure with American workers and materials. This will create thousands of good-paying jobs that can never be outsourced and make America competitive in the 21st century. I am thrilled to reintroduce the Made in America Act with Senators Baldwin and Braun to ensure that taxpayer dollars support domestic manufacturing and create new opportunities to grow the American middle-class,” said Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA).

“We need to make a bold investment that puts people to work rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure and I want to make sure that we do it by supporting American workers and American manufacturers,” said Senator Baldwin (D-WI). “We should not spend taxpayer dollars on infrastructure projects that are not subject to Buy America requirements. My legislation will make sure we are buying what America makes when we rebuild our infrastructure.”

“After building a transportation and logistics company in Indiana, I know firsthand how the Made in America Act will help businesses and workers in our country,” said Senator Braun (R-IN). “This legislation ensures taxpayer dollars help American business owners, which is especially important as we recover from the global pandemic.”

Congressman Garamendi met with President Biden, Vice President Harris, Secretary Buttigieg in Oval Office to express his support for including strong “Buy American” standards in the infrastructure package Congress is currently developing with the White House.

House Original Cosponsors: Representatives Marcy Kaptur (D-OH09), Mark Pocan (D-WI02), Cheri Bustos (D-IL17), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL09), Cynthia Axne (D-IA03), Tim Ryan (D-OH13), Paul Tonko (D-NY20), Frank J. Mrvan (D-IN01), David N. Cicilline (D-RI01)

The “Made in America Act” is supported by AFL-CIO, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS), United Steelworkers, Alliance for American Manufacturing, American Foundry Society, Forging Industry Association, Non-Ferrous Founders Society, North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), and International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC).

The text of the House legislation is available here.