Murphy Visits New Britain Manufacturer for Grand Opening, Announces New Bill to Protect and Grow Connecticut's Manufacturing Sector

Press Release

Today, Congressman Chris Murphy (CT-5) visited Integro in New Britain to announce the company's grand opening in the city, and to talk about his latest legislative effort to protect and grow Connecticut's manufacturing sector. Murphy was joined by John Bogart, President of Integro, which manufactures, among other things, airfield lighting equipment and products. Integro has seen its sales nearly double since the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reviewed its compliance to the Buy American Preference Act of 1990, which governs that agency's procurement process. In the same time period, Integro has added 16 employees.

"The success of Integro is proof positive that requiring taxpayer money to be spent here at home results in more American jobs. By spending more American tax dollars here, this company is putting Connecticut's skilled manufacturing workforce to work and is turning a profit in a recession. I'm leading the effort to spend more federal purchasing dollars here at home, because we need to replicate Integro's success all over Connecticut," said Murphy.

Murphy announced that he will be introducing legislation in the coming days to allow, for the first time, preference to go to bidders for federal work who promise to create jobs in the United States. Supplying this "jobs impact statement" would shed light on where American tax dollars are being spent to create - or compete with - American jobs. Currently, federal contracting agencies cannot take into account the impact on U.S. jobs when evaluating one bidder versus another.

This new bill builds upon Murphy's 21st Century Buy American Act, which he introduced earlier this year, which will create jobs, close loopholes in our antiquated "Buy American" laws, increase transparency of the process, and, most importantly, assist firms that have been hurt by unfair foreign competition.

Murphy's 21st Century Buy American Act will:

* Require federal agencies, for the first time, to give a leg-up to bidders for federal contracts that commit to building a large portion of the purchased product here in the United States;

* Provide assistance to American companies who are the sole supplier to the federal government of a particular product to make sure they can stay in business;

* Increase the minimum percentage of a product that must be made in the U.S. from 50% to 60%; and

* Mandate that agencies report, in a public database, what waivers of the domestic sourcing laws they have issued so that American manufacturers have the information necessary to compete for those contracts.

"I firmly believe the work that Congressman Chris Murphy is doing to strengthen the Buy American provisions that govern DoD purchases is extremely important to the financial and economic well being of our nation. The positive changes that my company has experienced since the Buy American Preference of 1990 was reviewed are a testament to that fact. I firmly believe that strict implementation of Buy American provisions really works and is an excellent conduit to ensure that taxpayer's dollars are used to support U.S. jobs," said Bogart.

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