Buy American

[phillyd2]

The Berry Amendment requires the U.S. Defense Department (DOD) to buy certain products -- judged essential to our military readiness - with 100% U.S. content and labor. These products include clothing and other textile items, specialty steel, and food. In addition to the Berry Amendment, certain other "Buy American" provisions apply to DOD.

ISSUE:

Rep. Duncan Hunter, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has strengthened and expanded both the "Berry" and "Buy American" provisions in House version of the Department of Defense (DOD) Authorization bill by:

Tightening the waiver process so that the Berry Amendment is not waived for inappropriate and arbitrary reasons. (Berry)

Clarifying that the Berry Amendment requirements must be met throughout all levels of the supply chain. (Berry)

Directing DOD and prime defense contractors to purchase U.S. made machine tools & dies and specialty metals. (Buy American)

Increasing the minimum U.S. content for defense procurement from 50% to 65%. (Buy American)

Requiring the Secretary of Defense to create a break-out list of critical components and technologies fundamental to our national defense effort, with a phased-in requirement that these items be 100 % U.S. made. (Buy American)

Adding 8 products to the list of covered products: 1) ordnance fuses, 2) microwave power tubes, 3) PAN carbon fiber, 4) aircraft tires, 5) ground vehicle tires, 6) tank track assemblies, 7) tank track components, 8) packaging in direct contact with meals within meals ready-to-eat. (Berry)

The Senate version of this bill does not contain any of these additional strengthening provisions.

The Senate may accept the House Berry Amendment provisions, but it is resisting the House "Buy American" provisions.

ACTION ITEM:

CONTACT SENATORS: Contact Senators that are members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Conferees from both the House and Senate are meeting NOW and need to hear from you NOW. Tell them that the Senate should recede to the House "Buy American", as well as the Berry Amendment provisions in the DOD Authorization Act conference.

SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Senate Armed Services Committee Members are Chairman John Warner (R-VA) and:

John McCain, AZ
Carl Levin, MI, Rnk. Dem Mem.
James M. Inhofe, OK
Edward M. Kennedy, MA
Pat Roberts, KS
Robert C. Byrd, WV
Wayne Allard, CO
Joseph I. Lieberman, CT
Jeff Sessions, AL
Jack Reed, RI
Susan M. Collins, ME
Daniel K. Akaka, HI
John Ensighn, NV
Bill Nelson, FL
Jim Talent, MO
Ben Nelson, NE
Saxby Chambliss, GA
Mark Dayton, MN
Lindsey O. Graham, SC
Evan Bayh, IN
Elizabeth Dole, NC
Hillary Clinton, NY
John Cornyn, TX
Mark Pryor, AR

BACKGROUND ON IMPORTANCE OF BERRY AMENDMENT:

Dependence on foreign sources for vital military products could lead to quality problems, product delays, and even denial of vital items from adversarial suppliers who may not agree with our defense/security objectives.

During the Vietnam War, Sony withheld TV cameras used to guide tactical missiles.

In 1983, the Socialists in the Japanese Diet blocked the sale of ceramic packaging used in U.S. cruise missiles to protest Reagan Administration policies.

Currently, Northrop Grumman is giving lucrative contracts for the F-35 - the Joint Strike Fighter - to European as opposed to U.S. companies.

JDAM bomb production was stopped during the Iraq War because a Swiss industrialist refused to ship critical parts under contract because he disagreed with the Administration's war policy.

The Hellfire Missile program was stopped during the West Coast dock strike because critical parts sourced in Japan were sitting on ships in the harbor.

The Berry Amendment ensures military readiness through an active defense-industrial base and provides a reliable domestic source for certain vital goods during war times.

We have lost 2.6 million manufacturing jobs and the accompanying infrastructure in the last 3 years. It is imperative that we support this effort to encourage and buttress manufacturing jobs and expertise in America.

[Headhunter 13]

Thanks for the info.

[JamesBrown]

I always try and buy as much American stuff as possible but its getting pretty tough. The only things that its not hard for is food, paper and chemicals.

I never understood why the government gives defense contracts to companies such as FN, IMI, and HK.

[armabill]

Boeing does the same thing.