Co Chair CPA members: Greg Owens, owner of Liberty Tabletop and Jim Stuber author of What if Things Were Made in America Again

Overall Goal

For governments, companies, and consumers to maximize the U.S. content in the goods and services they procure and produce.

1. Government purchases military and non-military at the federal level

Goal: For federal-level government entities to maximize the U.S. content in the goods and services they procure and produce

Objectives:

  • Berry Amendment investigation and understanding
      • Gain a thorough understanding of the Berry Amendment in terms of history and scope.
      • Identify recent modifications that have debilitated the effectiveness of Barry.
      • Identify and analyze enforcement issues surrounding Barry
      • Identify existing proposals to improve effectiveness and enforcement.

     

  • Buy American Act investigation and understanding
    • Gain a thorough understanding of the history and scope of the Buy American Act.
    • Identify recent changes/loopholes that have debilitated the effectiveness of BuyAmerican.
    • Identify enforcement gaps, unwitting lack of compliance issues and willful non-compliance issues related to Buy American.
    • Identify existing proposals to improve on the effectiveness and enforcement of Buy American legislation

Activities: Conduct research to include internet general research into military and federal procurement, conduct interviews with companies doing business with the government through GSA and other procurement methods, interview Members of Congress with an interest in the subject, interview members of the Administration with an interest in the subject, speak directly with government procurement agencies and groups that advocate for or facilitate selling to the federal government.

Produce a series of recommendations for CPA detailing the problems associated with Barry and Buy American along with a series of recommendations on how to restore effectiveness and enforcement.

Form an ongoing group of company representatives from firms doing business with the federal government designed to further advocate for the strengthening of buy American as well as share ideas on how to best approach increased sales to the government. Encourage these members to become active members of CPA.

Co Chair CPA Members

Greg Owens

Greg Owens

Jim Stuber

Interested in becoming a committee member?

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2. Government purchases military and non-military at the state & local levelGoal: For federal-level government entities to maximize the U.S. content in the goods and services they procure and produce.

  • WTO opt-out
    • Gain a thorough understanding of States’ voluntary adoption of the WTO prohibition of favoring local companies in state-level government procurements
    • Explore the feasibility of mounting a lobbying campaign to gain the repeal of these “WTO opt-ins,” utilizing CPA member companies
  • Strengthened buy-American statutes
    • Gain a thorough understanding of state and local buy-American and buy-local policies
    • Explore the feasibility of mounting a lobbying campaign to strengthen these policies, utilizing CPA member companies

3. Company purchases

Goal: For companies to maximize the U.S. content in the goods and services they procure and produce

  • Operating equipment and supplies
    • Gain an understanding of procurement practices for operating equipment and supplies
    • Explore the feasibility of mounting a campaign to adopt/strengthen buy- American policies in such procurement by companies, including CPA members
  • Plant and production equipment
    • Gain an understanding of procurement practices for plant and production equipment
    • Explore the feasibility of mounting a campaign to adopt/strengthen buy- American policies in such procurement by companies, including CPA members
  • Intermediate materials and components
    • Gain an understanding of procurement practices for intermediate materials and components
    • Explore the feasibility of mounting a campaign to adopt/strengthen buy- American policies in such procurement by companies, including CPA members

4. Consumer purchases

Goal: For consumers to maximize the U.S. content in the goods and services they purchase.

  • Clear country-of-origin labeling.
    • Produce a federal legislative proposal, the “Fair Country of Origin Disclosure Act,” (“FCODA”) to require that the country of origin disclosures currently required by the Tariff Act and under applicable laws be prominently displayed on goods, on their packaging, on point-of-sale displays, in catalogs, and in advertising, whether in physical, print, or digital form.
    • Explore the feasibility of mounting a campaign to procure the sponsorship ofFCODA by members of Congress and its enactment into law.
    • Use FCODA as a springboard to support of other CPA legislative initiatives.
  • Consumer awareness, attitudes, and commitment
    • Gain an understanding of current and proposed initiatives to educate consumers in the problem of offshoring jobs, changing attitudes, and securing commitment to bringing jobs back to American manufacturers and their communities
    • Explore the feasibility of cooperating with these initiatives to produce consumer action and consumer participation in CPA activities.

Marketplace awareness and promotion

  • Business
    • Gain membership of manufacturing companies that are manufacturing their products in the United States via the CPA “Buy American” Message.
      • Main company membership
      • Employee membership +$1.00
    • Spread the word about CPA “Buy American” initiatives to new Members andemployees
    • Spread the word about CPA trade positions to new “Buy American” members
    • Encourage members to engage their representatives at the state and federallevel with the CPA message on Buy American initiatives and CPA solutions to fixtrade.
  • Individual
    • Invite Made in America advocates to join CPA
      • The goal is to have active participation in CPA.
      • Dues are welcome but should not be an obstacle to membership
      • Organize participants into a grassroots message by constituents tocongressmen that Made in America matters.
        • Encourage members of Congress to add the buy Americanmessage to their platform using CPA Buy American platform
        • Turn up the noise and let them know that their constituentssupport made in America
        • Fire up the message & produce talking points for all CPAmembers
  • Organizations advocating for Buy American
    • Build membership and engagement with Buy American organizations
    • Team up with Buy American organizations to spread the CPA message
    • Encourage grassroots to buy American demand generation as part of the CPA message.