Letter to Barbara Boxer, Chairman, and David Vitter, Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

Letter

Dear Chairman Boxer and Ranking Member Vitter:

As you complete negotiations on the Water Resources Development Act, we ask for your continued support for the Merkley-Brown Buy America amendment, which passed the Senate with a strong bipartisan vote. The amendment would allow domestic producers of iron, steel, and manufactured goods to supply necessary inputs under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) and would ensure WIFIA investments benefit American workers and taxpayers.

We have learned of efforts to weaken the Senate's provision in conference and permit foreign-made steel slab to qualify "as having been produced in the United States, regardless of the country of origin of the steel slab." This proposal, which was not considered in either chamber during deliberations, would send as much as 89 cents of each U.S. taxpayer dollar spent to procure the steel for infrastructure projects to foreign steelmakers, including one in Russia who is actively lobbying for this change. Creating this enormous loophole would not only undermine the intent of the Senate amendment, but also create a dangerous precedent for weakening our long-standing Buy America laws.

Thank you for your leadership on the WRDA bill and for your votes in support of our Buy America amendment. We ask for your continued support in conference and for your opposition to any efforts to weaken our language or create Buy America loopholes that will benefit foreign competition at the expense of American companies and workers.

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