U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Announces Guest for State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin announced that Avery Smith, a heavy equipment operator from Little Suamico, Wisconsin, will join her for President Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday. 

Mr. Smith, who has worked on infrastructure projects in Wisconsin for nearly two decades, will go to Washington and join Senator Baldwin’s push for President Trump to put his words into action on rebuilding America’s infrastructure with a plan that has strong buy American, hire American standards.

“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. Strong buy American, hire American standards must be at the foundation of our plan so we can create jobs and boost local economies in Wisconsin,” said Senator Baldwin. “We need to act on a plan that provides Wisconsin businesses with the quality transportation system they need to move their goods to market and grow our economy. Our rural communities can’t be left behind and we need to expand rural broadband so they can help drive the economic growth we need across our state.”

President Trump has previously pledged to put forward a $1 trillion infrastructure investment plan and Senator Baldwin has fought for Wisconsin workers by advancing Buy America legislation to have our infrastructure built with American products, and prevent taxpayers' money from being spent on foreign iron and steel. 

In September 2016, Senator Baldwin’s legislation to rebuild America’s crumbling drinking water infrastructure with American made iron and steel passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support (95-3). Speaker Paul Ryan and the Republican House Leadership stripped Senator Baldwin’s legislation from the final water infrastructure bill. 

While visiting Wisconsin last April, President Trump was asked by local media if he supported Senator Baldwin’s Made in America Water Infrastructure Act. President Trump said “I do,” and also said, “I agree with her 100 percent.” However, the President has yet to push Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan to act on Baldwin’s Buy America legislation.

Last month, Senator Baldwin sent a letter to President Trump calling for the Trump Administration to complete and make public a Buy American report that the President called for nine months ago.

On April 18, 2017, President Trump visited Kenosha, Wisconsin and signed an Executive Order on Buy American and Hire American. As part of the President’s order he tasked his own Administration to complete a report on Buy American laws and submit it to him within 220 days of the order, which was November 24, 2017.  The Buy American report is now over two months late.