U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL), along with nearly 20 House Republicans, has published a letter to the incoming Trump Administration pledging their assistance in the development of its “Buy American, Hire American” initiative. Buy American laws provide a preference to domestically-produced goods and services in federal procurement, such as investments in public infrastructure.
“When American taxpayer dollars are being spent, an effort should be made to spend those in support of American workers,” said Bost. “As we grow our economy and rehabilitate our nation’s infrastructure, more must be done to ensure that Buy American preference laws are applied to these projects.” (You can view a copy of the letter by clicking here.)
Bost’s effort was supported by the Chicago-based American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the National Steel Bridge Alliance, U.S. Steel, the Alliance for American Manufacturing and more than a dozen iron and steel companies and associations representing steel manufacturers and fabricators.
Other signatories to the letter included David Joyce (R-OH), Bradley Byrne (R-AL), Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Martha Roby (R-AL), Rodney Davis (R-IL), Jeff Fortenberry (R-LA), Sam Graves (R-MO), John Katko (R-NY), Mo Brooks (R-AL), Bob Gibbs (R-OH), Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Walter Jones (R-NC), David McKinley (R-WV), Gregg Harper (R-MS), Rick Crawford (R-AR), and Joe Wilson (R-SC).
Davis and John Delaney (D-MD) also are co-sponsors of the Partnership to Build America Act, which seeks to create a fund to provide financing to state and local governments for new infrastructure projects.
AISC and NSBA represent nearly 1,000 domestic steel fabricators, service centers, and mills as well as hundreds of erectors. Combined, the U.S. fabricated structural steel industry employs more than 160,000 American workers.
“It’s important that tax money is used to support American workers and American businesses,” said Charles J. Carter, AISC’s president. “We urge everyone involved in the construction industry to contact their representatives and express their support of the ‘Buy American, Hire American’ initiative.” See the sample letter here.
