U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., wrote a letter to President Trump encouraging the expedition of bipartisan “Buy American” infrastructure legislation in anticipation of the upcoming State of the Union address Tuesday.
In hopes of supporting local economies, Baldwin, alongside nine other senators, urged the Trump Administration to alter infrastructure regulations in order to ensure that projects buy domestic products, hire domestic workers and to include such sentiments in any forthcoming infrastructure proposals.
“Only strict adherence to this principle will ensure that the economic benefits of infrastructure investment flow directly to American companies, not to foreign companies in countries like China that aim to flood our country with state-subsidized imports of steel and other goods, which threaten American manufactures,” the letter states.
The senators also called on the president to complete and release a report on his Buy American, Hire American executive order, which he announced last year in Kenosha and is now over two months late, according to the timetable set by the administration when the initiative was announced.
Baldwin’s past support for Buy American legislation includes her Made in America Water Infrastructure Act, which proposes all drinking water infrastructure be built with one hundred percent American iron and steel, a plan Trump publicly endorsed during a visit to Wisconsin last April.
Furthermore, Baldwin announced one of her guests to the State of the Union will be Avery Smith, a heavy equipment operator from Little Suamico. Smith will join Baldwin in Washington to push for the advancement of Buy American, Hire American legislation, and show support for Wisconsin manufacturers.
“Washington needs to put words into action because Wisconsin is in desperate need of rebuilding our infrastructure. It’s time to act on a plan that puts people to work rebuilding our roads, bridges, ports and water infrastructure,” Baldwin said.
