New bill will authorize more American steel in transportation projects

Monday, 06 February 2012 00:57:10 (GMT+2)

On Thursday, Congressman Chip Cravaack announced that he secured legislative provisions that will create US jobs, increase US steel production, and ensure that more American steel products are used in federal transportation construction projects under an amendment titled "Buy America."

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is producing a long-term reauthorization and reform of federal surface transportation programs, a key component of the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act (H.R. 7).  This legislation is the largest transportation reform bill since the creation of the Interstate Highway System.

Congressman Cravaack's amendment closes loopholes which are exploited by countries like China and Brazil.  Specifically, the provision prohibits the "segmentation" of projects, a tactic used to avoid the Buy America preference.  Closing these loopholes ensures that Buy America will be followed and that American jobs and industry will be protected.  

The Cravaack amendment also maximizes project transparency.  For instance, it expands the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) informal waiver process to other Department of Transportation (DOT) programs with the Buy America preference.  Additionally, the amendment requires that the Secretary publish a detailed written justification as to why the waiver is needed for public consumption within 30 days. This web-based process streamlines the Buy America waivers and allows for maximum transparency.

After the Transportation Committee agreed to the Cravaack amendment, subsequent attempts to weaken two-thirds of existing Buy America requirements were defeated.

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