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Bill Would Require American Materials Used in All Federally Funded Infrastructure Projects
Targeted News ServiceWASHINGTON, March 5 -- The Ranking Democratic Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee issued the following news release:
U.S. Representative Nick J. Rahall, top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today was joined by Committee Members in introducing legislation to ensure that all Federal transportation and infrastructure investments support American jobs and domestic manufacturing. Under the "Invest in American Jobs Act of 2013", all future highway, bridge, public transit, passenger rail, and airport projects financed by U.S. taxpayers would be stamped "Made in America" and crafted with American workmanship. The bill is supported by a number of Labor organizations and domestic manufacturing companies.
"In just a few months time, one of the largest publically supported infrastructure projects in the country is scheduled to be completed with the opening of the $6.3 billion East Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge," said Rahall. "But instead of steel cast in the Alleghenies or roadbed segments assembled in Alameda, cars and trucks using the bridge will be driving over 43,000 tons of steel imported from China which supported 3,000 Chinese jobs and was financed by U.S. taxpayers."
"Committee Democrats insisted on closing the loopholes in our 'Buy America' laws to prevent the continuation of this outrageous and economically harmful practice of outsourcing our federal highway and transit construction in last year's surface transportation bill. Unfortunately, many provisions we pushed for that would have ensured even stronger Buy America requirements for all surface transportation infrastructure investments were left on the cutting-room floor during the conference process. Today we are here to finish the job and ensure that all taxpayer funded infrastructure investments support American jobs."
The Invest in American Jobs Act which Rahall and all six Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee Ranking Members are introducing today would require all transit, rail, wastewater, or airport infrastructure investments financed by U.S. taxpayers to be made with American materials and American craftsmanship.
Specifically, the bill:* Strengthens existing Buy America requirements for investments in highway, bridge, public transit, rail, and aviation infrastructure and equipment to ensure that all of the steel, iron, and manufactured goods used in these projects is produced in the United States;
* Increases domestic content requirements for public transit rolling stock and Federally-procured aviation facilities and equipment, from 60 percent under current law to 100 percent by FY 2017;
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