On Tuesday, Democratic California Congressman John Garamendi joined other transportation leaders in supporting legislation that would ensure all Federal transportation and infrastructure investments support American jobs and domestic manufacturing. Under the new Invest in American Jobs Act of 2013, all future highway, bridge, public transit, passenger rail, and airport projects financed by US taxpayers would be stamped "Made in America" and crafted with American workmanship. The bill is sponsored by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's top Democrat Nick Rahall, and is supported by a number of Labor organizations and domestic manufacturing companies.
In the last session of Congress, Garamendi authored similar Buy American legislation to manufacture transportation and clean energy systems in America.
The Invest in American Jobs Act of 2013 bill would strengthen existing Buy America requirements for investments in highway, bridge, public transit, rail, and aviation infrastructure and equipment to ensure that all of the steel, iron, and manufactured goods used in these projects is produced in the United States; increases domestic content requirements for public transit rolling stock and Federally-procured aviation facilities and equipment from 60 percent under current law to 100 percent by FY 2017; applies Buy America requirements to other transportation and infrastructure investment where such requirements do not exist in current law, including rail infrastructure grants, loans, and loan guarantees, Clean Water State Revolving Fund grants, and Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants.
Committee Democrats are urging quick action on the measure as over $50 billion in Federal funding authorized in the new surface transportation law is now being obligated for highway and transit infrastructure projects. Congress is also expected to consider legislation to provide significant Federal investment in rail and water infrastructure in the coming months.