Watson Votes to Boost U.S. Manufacturing Industry- "Make it in America" Strategy Will Put Americans Back to Work

Press Release

Today, Rep. Watson voted to boost the American manufacturing industry and create jobs by requiring the Congress and Department of Homeland Security to purchase products that are made in America. The two bills, the Congressional Made in America Promise Act and the Berry Amendment Extension Act, are part of the Democratic "Make it in America" national manufacturing strategy to create the high-skill, high-wage jobs of the future--promoting American competitiveness, innovation, and exports.

"Democrats are working to make sure we see the words Made in America more often. I believe we can lead the world in manufacturing if we make the choices now to rebuild our broken manufacturing industry and put people back to work making things again," said Rep. Watson. "At the same time, we have fought to close tax loopholes that actually encourage corporations to ship American jobs overseas--but Congressional Republicans have fought us every step of the way. America deserves better."

The Congressional Made in America Promise Act Requires Congress to buy goods and services made by American workers for the first time since "Buy American" rules were instituted for federal agencies under President Roosevelt in 1933, including tighter Buy American requirements for items with the seal of Congress, the House, or Senate.

The Berry Amendment Extension Act bars the Department of Homeland Security from buying clothing, tents and other products that are not "grown, reprocessed, reused or produced" in America. For the last 60 years, the Berry Amendment has served our nation well requiring the Defense Department and the Coast Guard to buy a range of domestically produced or grown items with 100% U.S. content, and today we are voting to cover the DHS.

"These bills will help get our factories humming again and put Americans back to work--and send a strong signal to American businesses that we're on their side," said Rep. Watson. "We will keep working to put manufacturing, middle class Americans, and small businesses first. While Democrats are working to rebuild our manufacturing base and create jobs, Republicans want to take us back to the failed economic policies of the Bush Administration that cost this nation more than 8 million jobs."

Our "Make it in America" strategy also includes:
*Closing tax loopholes that encourage corporations to outsource U.S. jobs overseas.
*Providing hometown tax credits to help small businesses hire new employees and sell their products and innovation overseas.
*Boosting incentives to create American clean energy jobs like making state-of-the-art wind turbines and solar panels--paid for by ending corporate welfare to Big Oil.
*Strengthening rules that U.S. and its contractors buy products made in America, especially to build transportation, energy, and communications infrastructure.
*Demanding that China and other countries honor fair trade principles or lose American business.
*Giving incentives to hire and re-train America's returning veterans for new clean energy jobs.
*Strengthening partnerships with businesses to retrain America's workers for jobs of the future.

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