For Release: Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Contact: David Gillies: 202-225-5661

COSTELLO AGAIN TRIES TO PREVENT THE OUTSOURCING OF U.S. JOBS

Washington - An amendment offered today by U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) to prevent the outsourcing of U.S. jobs and services was defeated on a mostly party-line vote, 18-16.  The amendment was offered during full Science Committee consideration of a bill to reauthorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  All Democrats voting supported the Costello amendment, as did Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA).  Costello offered an amendment to study outsourcing in the Committee last year, which was also defeated.

"Once again, a common sense amendment to protect American jobs and services from being outsourced to foreign countries has been defeated by the Republican majority," said Costello.  "While American jobs are being lost overseas and our manufacturing base continues to shrink, the Republican majority insists on protecting the trade laws responsible for this situation instead of U.S. workers.  We should be very clear about this - a vote against my amendment was a vote against the working men and women of this country."

Costello's amendment aimed to do two things:  1.) prohibit federal jobs from being outsourced to foreign nations, and 2.) require NOAA contracts for goods and services are performed in the U.S. An objection to the amendment was offered by Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), who expressed concern that the amendment might violate international trade agreements.    

"It is high time that we put the needs of American workers ahead of arcane international trade rules," stated Costello.  "The amendment addresses how Federal tax dollars, collected from American workers, are spent by the Administrator of a Federal agency.  My amendment simply directs that those dollars should go to create American jobs rather than to the lowest bidder in a global labor market.  This was a simple choice."

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