President Biden will sign an executive order Monday to boost his “Buy American” efforts, after years of his predecessor’s “Buy American, Hire American” initiatives.
The order, which the commander-in-chief will sign this afternoon, aims to increase domestic production by harnessing the federal government’s purchasing power and closing loopholes for companies taking business overseas.
If the nickname ‘Buy American’ sounds familiar, it’s because President Donald Trump signed multiple executive actions targeting his ‘Buy American, Hire American’ agenda dating back to early 2017.
In April of that year, the 45th president signed an executive action encouraging federal agencies to purchase US-made iron, steel, and manufactured goods.
Two years later, he signed two more actions aimed at encouraging the use of US-made materials in federally funded infrastructure projects.
Executive orders are legally binding and are therefore published in the Federal Register. Executive actions, on the other hand, are more often symbolic efforts to bring about change.
Trump’s guidelines encouraged new grant and loan recipients to use iron, steel, aluminum, cement, and other US-produced products, but did not mandate it.
What Biden signs on Monday is an order, requiring more of a product to be made in the US to qualify as made in America.
It will also create a website for Americans to see what contracts are awarded to foreign sellers, and a position with the Office of Management and Budget to conduct the federal purchasing efforts.
The federal government spends nearly $ 600 billion annually on goods and services, which Biden officials hope will keep the order more in the United States.
In a meeting with reporters on Sunday, a senior official from the Biden administration was pressured over the deals in the “Buy American” messages.
“The previous administration has issued numerous releases and orders. But when you look at the outcome, there was no material change in the way domestic content was measured, the strictness of the domestic content requirements, or the use of exemptions for the Buy American provision, ”the official argued.
“So, you know, in practice nothing has happened.”
Still, Trump repeatedly accused Biden of plagiarizing him during the campaign trail over his embrace of the ‘Buy American’ coverage.
Last July, while the general election campaign was in full swing, Trump told reporters outside the White House that Biden had “ plagiarized me, but he can never make it. He likes plagiarism. “
With pole wires