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Feingold Legislation Protects American Jobs Discusses Buy American Improvement Act at Local Listening Session October 4, 2003 Cleveland, WI – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold today discussed legislation he has introduced that aims to strengthen the 1933 Buy American Act and protect jobs both in Wisconsin and across the country. Feingold's bill would strengthen the Buy American Act by making it harder to waive the Act's requirement that the government buy American-made goods. It would also require that information be provided to Congress and to the public about how often the Act is waived by federal departments and agencies. "The erosion of our manufacturing base needs to be stopped, and Congress should support policies that help to ensure that we do not continue to lose jobs in this vital segment of our economy," Feingold said. "It only makes sense for the federal government to make every effort to purchase goods that are made in America." Numbers from Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development indicate that the state has lost more than 77,000 manufacturing jobs in two-and-a-half years. "The goal of the Buy American Act is for the federal government
to buy goods that are made in America, whether it's Wisconsin or another
state," Feingold said. "American companies deserve to know
that they are not being shut out by their own government because of
the loopholes that exist in the current law. With American jobs heading
overseas at an alarming rate, the government should be doing all it
can to make sure that U.S. taxpayer dollars are spent to support American
jobs." Feingold held his 60th Listening Session of 2003, and his 780th since
he was first elected, at the Lakeshore Technical College, starting at
9:15 a.m. This is Feingold’s eleventh year of holding Listening
Sessions in every county. |
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