Bustos Introduces Legislation Calling on President-elect Trump to Release a National Strategy to Stop Outsourcing, Create Manufacturing Jobs in America
Trump’s Tweets, Campaign Promises and Inconsistent Actions on Outsourcing Have Left Working Americans Guessing What He’ll Actually Do
WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) introduced her first piece of legislation in the 115th Congress, continuing her focus on growing our economy and boosting our region’s manufacturing industry. She also held a press conference with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and colleagues from the industrial heartland to discuss the legislation.
The Overseas Outsourcing Accountability Act would require President-elect Donald Trump to develop a national strategy to stop outsourcing and allow Congress to measure its success through a review every two years. This legislation does not require Trump to follow a prescribed path; however, it would rein in his inconsistent behavior by requiring him to put a real strategy down on paper for working families to evaluate.
“During this past presidential campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly promised to ‘Make America Great Again’ by bringing manufacturing jobs back from overseas, but he failed to outline a specific plan to achieve it. Having a President who changes his mind from tweet to tweet would put the economic security of all Americans at risk, and working men and women deserve better. That’s why I introduced the Overseas Outsourcing Accountability Act, which would require President-elect Trump to outline a specific national strategy that will stop outsourcing and grow our manufacturing economy,” said Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. “Whether it was Sensata in Freeport or Maytag in Galesburg, America’s heartland has seen far too many jobs shipped to countries like Mexico and China. If we want to get our economy on track, we need a real strategy that will create jobs and put working families ahead of billionaires.”
President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized companies for shipping jobs overseas, but has yet to put a plan in place that would keep manufacturing jobs in America. In fact, many of his public statements have been contradictory, lacking basic detail or flat-out false. Previously, Mr. Trump has said that outsourcing jobs “is not always a terrible thing” and even manufactured Trump products in at least 12 different countries, many of which offer no labor or wage protections. And instead of punishing companies that threaten or move their jobs overseas, as he previous said he would do, Mr. Trump instead backtracked on a campaign promise and rewarded them with millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded corporate welfare.
In addition to requiring Mr. Trump to submit a national strategy to stop outsourcing, the Overseas Outsourcing Accountability Act must include specific goals and recommendations to prevent companies from sending American jobs abroad. Joining Congresswoman Bustos as cosponsors of this legislation are Representatives Luis Gutierrez (IL-04), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Dave Loebsack (IA-02), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Matt Cartwright (PA-17), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Robert Brady (PA-01), Tim Ryan (OH-13), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30), Rick Nolan (MN-08), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Dan Lipinski (IL-03), Bill Foster (IL-11), Debbie Dingell (MI-12), John Conyers (MI-13), Dan Kildee (MI-05), Emmanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Mike Doyle (PA-14), Andre Carson (IN-07), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), David Cicilline (RI-02), Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01) and Darren Soto (FL-09).
You can watch a video of the press conference by clicking here. Joining Congresswoman Bustos at the press conference were House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Representatives Dan Kildee (MI-05), Mark Pocan (WI-02), John Conyers (MI-13), Debbie Dingell (MI-12) and Brad Schneider (IL-10).
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