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Sen. Sherrod Brown pressures president in Warren

Says US should use all American-made materials on federal infrastructure projects

Tribune Chronicle / R. Michael Semple U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, second from left, visits Wheatland Tube on Deitz Road in Warren Monday with employees about his push to expand the Buy America Act rules.

WARREN — It might cost more but it will be an investment in American industry, American jobs and the American economy if the federal government were to buy only American-made products for federal infrastructure jobs, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown said.

“Sometimes if it is made with American labor in the United States, it may cost a little more,” Brown, D-Ohio, said Monday at Wheatland Tube on Deitz Road in Warren.

“This suit,” Brown said, referring to the suit he was wearing, made 10 miles from his Cleveland home, “It possibly costs a little more because it is made by union workers here in Ohio — you know, versus the Ivanka Trump brand, which is made by workers in Ethiopia, which make one-fifth as much as Chinese workers make.

“So, I think that the point is, if we are using tax dollars that should put Americans to work, period,” Brown said.

The Buy America Act rules require federal tax dollars that are used to purchase steel, iron and manufactured goods for transit projects are produced domestically in the United States, or at least mostly, according to the Federal Transit Administration.

Third-party project grantees and the communities receiving the grants are required to comply with the rules, which this year mandate 60 percent of the product contain domestic content. The percentage rises to 65 percent in 2018 and 2019, and goes up to 70 percent in 2020 and beyond, according to the Transit Administration.

Brown said rules should be expanded to any infrastructure project federal dollars are going into. Wheatland Tube makes steel tubes for commercial and industrial fire sprinkler systems, electrical raceways, fence framework, energy construction and solar related applications.

“It’s pretty simple, American tax dollars should go toward American-made products that support American jobs. Period,” Brown said. “That’s why I’ve worked with Sen. (Rob) Portman on legislation to apply Buy America rules to all taxpayer-funded infrastructure and public works projects. I’ve spoken with President (Donald) Trump about Buy America and I know he agrees. That’s why I’ve asked him to work with me to turn our bill into the law of the land.”

The president in April signed an executive order clarifying that to be considered American steel, the entire steel process has to take place in the United States. The order also requires federal agencies to make lists of which projects are following the Buy America rules, and which are not, Brown said.

The proposal Brown and Portman, R-Ohio, are sponsoring would expand the rules to all projects using federal dollars.

Tom Smith, a shipper at Wheatland Tube, said he questions whether the president will get on board with Brown and Portman’s proposal.

Smith said he questions the president’s dedication to the Buy America push, because as a businessman Trump had the chance to manufacture his products solely in the United States, but didn’t.

“Put your money where your mouth is,” Smith said. “If Trump really wanted Buy American for the whole country, he would make his own products here. It might be cheaper to go overseas, but it takes money out of the hands of the American worker, the American family.”

Kevin Wyndham, chairman of the Trumbull County Republican Party, said Trump can’t be faulted for decisions he made before he was a public servant. Trump had to keep his business interests in mind when he chose products or manufacturers outside of the country, Wyndham said.

“And that is the problem. When you are in business, you have to do the thing that is best for your business. You have to make those choices in the environment you are in. These corporations have the incentive to spend money out of the country because of regulations that make it more difficult for American companies to compete,” Wyndham said.

In this global economy, when most products contain parts from around the world, American companies need a businessman on their side who can help change the global market in favor of American companies, Wyndham said.

But mandates are a “double-edged” sword, Wyndham said. Buy America regulations might start tilting the tables back to American companies, but shuttered factories don’t just turn on with the touch of the button. And too many regulations may deter business, not encourage it, Wyndham said.

Wyndham agreed with Brown, made in America products are likely to come with higher price tags that might be hard for the average person to pay for.

“We have to understand a price comes along with this. The hope is the jobs come too,” Wyndham said.

rfox@tribtoday.com

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