Senate eases 'Buy American' clause in stimulus

[Mudoria]

Source: CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Senate agreed Wednesday to soften a "Buy American" provision in its economic stimulus package, clarifying that the clause will not override existing U.S. trade treaties.


The "Buy American" provision in a proposed stimulus plan has raised the ire of lawmakers and business groups.

The so-called "Buy American" provision in the $900 billion stimulus plan would have mandated that only U.S.-made goods be used in projects funded by the bill. Lawmakers who supported the provision said it would help jump-start the economy because it would help American companies.

At the same time, however, senators rejected a proposal by Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona to strip the "Buy American" language completely from the bill.

Both moves on Wednesday mean that senators will keep the provision in place while ensuring it respects international treaties.

Last week, the House of Representatives passed its own stimulus bill, which ensured that, with some notable exceptions, only U.S.-produced iron and steel be used for construction.

The White House and many U.S. trading partners -- including its largest, Canada -- want lawmakers to craft their bills in a way that they don't run afoul of international trade agreements.

They worry that such restrictions would spark a trade war and exacerbate the economic downturn.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/05/senate.buy.american/index.html

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I'm guessing the Chinese will always be below 26%+ on any steel bids for infrastructure. It looks like
we''l be creating steelworking jobs for the Chinese in the near future.

[ixion]

1. Why does Congress hate America?

Because using OUR money to fund projects that OUTSOURCE everything to other countries is most definitely a sign that our well-being is not being considered as part of the 'stimulus'.

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

2. Way to kowtow to our foreign masters, Senate.

[DUlover2909]

3. They never said "US" stimulus package, just "Stimulus Package"

Ridiculous. Utterly absurd.

[8 track mind]

4. Disgusting, really...... n/t

[acmavm]

5. Oh come on folks. Did anyone really expect that the American

people would get a little help from OUR elected reps?

Once they get to Washington D.C. all they think we're good for is paying for everything. How dare we want something back.

[nc4bo]

6. Who is going to be responsible for testing nortoriously substandard Chinese steel?

I also read a post on DU (didn't save the link, sorry) that India, China, Russia and a couple other countries are not included).

It does include Canada, Mexico and some EU members.

But, who's to say that any one of those countries might decide to import substandard steel (to save $$) or other products and simply repackage them with that countries name? Substandard steel should be a major concern to everyone. Somehow I just can't imagine a throw away bridge, tunnel or skyscraper.

And, how can we NOT include our enabler (China) as a supplier and not expect to pay a price somewhere down the line you know, because we OWE them so much :sarcasm:

[pampango]

7. China won't be able to bid on stimulus projects - only countries with whom we have

government procurement agreements or free trade agreements.

"(T)he World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (AGP) applies only to 39 countries with an additional 13 countries being signatories to U.S "Free Trade Agreements" (FTAs). The United States has no trade agreement or other procurement obligations to China, Brazil, India and many other major developing-country industrial powers."

http://www.citizen.org/trade/offshoring/government/federal/articles.cfm?ID=18343

[treestar]

8. No, it's Canadian steel

And we can't stimulate our economy alone.

[Oregone]

10. Why can't we stimulate our economy alone? Why should somone's taxes from Blaine, WA...

go to fund workers in White Rock, BC, Canada? Just why should their stimulus money go out of their pockets to stimulate a country 5 miles from them (whose economy could hardly matter to them), when it normally stimulates red states and subsidizes the failures of the right-wing state governments (whose economies greatly impact their own). Normally, dollar for dollar, were use to seeing the following get the most federal tax dollars:

1. North Dakota ($2.03)
2. New Mexico ($1.89)
3. Mississippi ($1.84)
4. Alaska ($1.82)
5. West Virginia ($1.74)
6. Montana ($1.64)
7. Alabama ($1.61)
8. South Dakota ($1.59)
9. Arkansas ($1.53)

Clearly, someone from Blaine Washington has FAR, FAR more in common with the New Mexican person they are used to sending their welfare tax dollars to than the common British Columbian who lives a few mere miles from them. After all, they have the same passport, they are subjected to countless of the same horrible Star Spangled Banner renditions, and they have been being screwed by the same politicians. Clearly, there is no arbitrary reason for some to feel some nationalistic drive to share their tax dollars to economies thousands of miles from them, rather than a few miles from them. Look, Blaine Washington is upon an economical, cultural, and nationalistic island (called America), and its beyond clear British Columbian cities aren't on that island (hell, they own BC Ferries to shuttle them around). There is no reason to take a introspective look at this issue at all. Buy USA.

Hey, if they were smart they would of put "Buy Canadian" in their stimulus. But they didn't. All the benefit for the Washington companies that can grab some foreign contracts! Lets stick it to the other-worldly, foreign, strange, un-American SOBs.

[TrogL]

12. You don't have the capacity for the kinda steel Obama's talking about

...but if I understand the steel revision, it's only in effect until US capacity is used up.

[Ian David]

9. I guess a "Trade War" is the only kind of war Republickers don't like. n/t

[OhioChick]

11. Treason n/t

[Romulox]

13. Neither Democrats nor Republicans will rest until stimulus $$$ are sent to their foreign paymasters.

[HamdenRice]

14. So you think Democrats and Repugs are equally bad? Why are you on a Democratic forum?

You do realize that the ground rules on this site include that we actually support the Democratic Party. Yet you continuously post diatribes against the Democrats accusing them of being as bad as the Repugs.

There are sites for people who consider themselves to the right of the Democrats as well as to the left, and who don't feel comfortable supporting the party.

Perhaps you should look into focusing your "attention" on those forums.

Because suggesting that the parties are the same is borderline lunacy.