Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) this week blasted a panel of Cabinet members for a lack of “Buy American” language in the White House’s 2018 infrastructure blueprint, issued last month.
[Isabelle Hoagland | March 16, 2018 | Inside US Trade]
The White House proposal, released on Feb. 12, does not include provisions mandating the use of U.S. materials — such as steel — in federal projects, which some lawmakers and industry groups have been asking for since President Trump took office.
“President Trump didn’t utter the words ‘Buy American’ in his State of the Union and it isn’t included in his infrastructure plan,” Baldwin said during a March 14 hearing of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
“Our workers need results and I’m going to continue pressing the Administration to back up words with action,” Baldwin said. “We need to put America to work rebuilding our infrastructure and strong Buy American standards need to be at the foundation of any plan.”
During the hearing, Baldwin asked Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to “direct” her to “bold new Buy American provisions” in the blueprint, citing Trump’s prior comments indicating he would do so.
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