October 19, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Brianne Nadeau 202-225-4016

Sarbanes Praises New Partnership to Boost Manufacturing in America

Towson, MD – Today Congressman John Sarbanes praised a new government partnership that will ensure more federal contracts are going to American companies. As part of the Administration’s high speed rail initiative, the Federal Railroad Administration will partner with the Maryland-based National Institute of Standards and Technology's Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) to ensure that our high speed rail investments are putting American contractors and suppliers to work rebuilding our rail infrastructure.  Sarbanes had written to MEP earlier this year urging them to expand their efforts to connect federal agencies with American businesses for contracting opportunities.

“The federal government spends more than $500 billion annually on procurement, obtaining goods and services from more than 600,000 vendors,” said Congressman John Sarbanes, a member of the Science, Space and Technology Committee. “Unfortunately, flaws in our government contracting and trade policies fail to ensure that these taxpayer dollars flow to American manufacturers.”

Federal agencies frequently seek waivers to avoid purchasing American-made goods, often claiming that suitable products built in American factories with American labor are either unavailable or too costly. Sarbanes met with the director of MEP earlier this year to learn how these types of partnerships could be more widely employed in federal procurement processes, and has been meeting with Maryland manufacturers this year as part of his “Make it in America” listening tour.

“We can create jobs by investing in our nation’s critical infrastructure and renewing our focus on manufacturing in America,” said Congressman John Sarbanes. “This partnership between the Federal Railroad Administration and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership will do both those things, and ensure that American contractors, suppliers, and manufacturers benefit from investments in high speed rail.”

To learn more about the Congressman’s manufacturing tour visit his blog.

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