[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 13, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E375]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          MADE IN AMERICA ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          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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