The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“MADE IN AMERICA ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E375 on April 13.
The Department includes the Census Bureau, which is used to determine many factors about American life. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department is involved in misguided foreign trade policies and is home to many unneeded programs.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
MADE IN AMERICA ACT
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HON. JOHN GARAMENDI
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, today I reintroduce the ``Made in America Act'' with U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). Our bicameral and bipartisan bill would strengthen ``Buy America'' requirements for all major federal infrastructure programs, including federally funded highway, rail, transit, aviation, levee, and water projects.
The ``Made in America Act'' identifies federal programs that fund infrastructure not currently subject to ``Buy America'' standards and ensures that building materials used in these taxpayer-funded projects are produced domestically. When setting standards to determine which materials used in construction will be considered ``Made in America,'' the bill requires the 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 America'' and
``Make it in America'' policies to rebuild and modernize our nation's crumbling infrastructure. In the process, we will create thousands of well-paying jobs that can never be outsourced and make America competitive in the 21st century.
Unfortunately, numerous Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports have confirmed that many of our nation's existing trade obligations often provide trading partners more opportunity to win American government procurement work than American businesses receive in return. The ``Made in America Act'' would take steps to correct this imbalance by ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent on American-made materials created by American workers and businesses.
Madam Speaker, Americans are right to expect that taxpayer dollars spent on infrastructure projects support domestic manufacturing. I want to thank my House colleagues for their support as the bill's original cosponsors. I urge all Members to join us is cosponsoring this critical legislation. As a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I plan to make the ``Made in America Act'' a majority priority in the 2021 surface transportation reauthorization and any infrastructure package.
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