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Rep. Joyce and Lipinski Lead Effort to Strengthen Buy American Laws

Press Release

Date: May 20, 2015
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Transportation Employment and Affirmative Action

Reps. Dave Joyce (OH-14) and Dan Lipinski (IL-3) are leading a bipartisan group of lawmakers in introducing legislation that will strengthen Buy America laws which impact federal purchases when it comes to transportation. As co-chairs of the Congressional Buy American Caucus, Joyce and Lipinski understand how critical it is that federal taxpayer dollars are spent at home employing Americans whenever possible. This particular legislation is especially important now with numerous pieces of transportation legislation expected to be passed this Congress.

The Buy America Act, which sets domestic content standards for the indirect purchases by Department of Transportation grantees, ensures that tax dollars spent on aviation, highway, transit, and rail infrastructure will support U.S. manufacturing and mining jobs, instead of jobs overseas. Unfortunately, there are loopholes to get around current Buy America laws, meaning that funds can end up supporting foreign workers and not Americans.

"If we are going to spend the tax dollars of our hard-working constituents, we should at least do everything we can to spend them on American made products and projects whenever possible," Rep. Joyce said. "Closing these loopholes means the competitive advantage goes to American companies and will create American jobs, not foreign ones."

"We must strengthen Buy America laws and close the loopholes that allow our tax dollars to employ foreign workers rather than Americans," said Rep. Lipinski. "Buying American is one of the fastest and most effective ways to create jobs and give the overall economy a boost. This legislation will help ensure that we are supporting American workers, especially the hard-working middle class."

The Buy America Update Act will close loopholes and modernize portions of the Buy America statutes that pertain to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Amtrak, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).


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