WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) met with Elaine Chao, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Transportation this week. In the meeting, Brown urged her to work with Congress to strengthen use of American-made steel and iron in infrastructure projects.
“Buy America rules allow us to grow jobs while rebuilding our roads and bridges,” said Brown. “Secretary Chao pledged to work with Congress to do both, and I look forward to hearing more about how she plans to fulfill President-elect Trump’s promise to put American workers and manufacturers first.”
Brown fought last Congress to restore Buy America provisions to the water infrastructure bill that would have permanently changed the law to require the use of American-made iron and steel products in infrastructure projects.
The original Buy America language in the Senate bill would have permanently amended the Safe Drinking Water Act to require American-made steel and iron be used in infrastructure projects funded by the Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). Instead, Republican leaders stripped that language and replaced it with a one-year provision that is already in effect and does nothing to further ensure American steel and iron will be used in water infrastructure projects moving forward.
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