U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Visits Fairbanks Morse Engine

BELOIT, WI – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin is in Beloit today to meet with leadership and employees of Fairbanks Morse Engine and highlight her work fighting for strong Buy American standards to help boost Wisconsin’s manufacturing economy. Senator Baldwin’s visit to Fairbank Morse follows a recent event at Superior-Lidgerwood-Mundy in Superior where she unveiled the Made in America Shipbuilding Act that supports Wisconsin’s manufacturing and shipbuilding industries.

“For decades in Wisconsin, we’ve worked to make things: paper, engines, tools and ships. These manufacturing jobs have created shared prosperity for generations and strengthened the economic security of hard-working families across our state,” said Senator Baldwin. “Fairbanks Morse has been a pillar of that prosperity and I’m proud to be their partner in the Senate as we work together to boost our Made in Wisconsin economy and push for strong Buy American standards that will drive local economic growth and create good paying jobs that support Wisconsin families. The Made in America Shipbuilding Act is about doing right by workers in Wisconsin and across the country, and I am urging my Senate colleagues to support this legislation.”

“We’re honored that Senator Baldwin chose to announce her buy American legislation here at Fairbanks Morse’s manufacturing facility in Beloit, Wisconsin, as she has always been an incredibly strong advocate for U.S. manufacturing jobs. Fairbanks Morse has supplied American-made diesel engines to the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard for over 70 years and we’re extremely proud to say that Fairbanks Morse manufactures over 80 percent of the Navy’s propulsion diesel engines. If signed into law, this legislation would be hugely beneficial to American manufacturers and factory workers and would certainly strengthen the U.S. shipbuilding supplier industrial base,” said Marvin Riley, Fairbanks Morse President and COO of EnPro Industries.

Fairbanks Morse recently announced that the company was selected to build and deliver the Main Propulsion Diesel Engines (MPDE's) for the LCS 27, which is the U.S. Navy’s newest Freedom class Littoral Combat Ship, and for the LPD 29, the U.S. Navy’s thirteenth San Antonio landing platform dock (LPD) class ship.

The Made in America Shipbuilding Act strengthens Buy American requirements for the federal government’s purchase of ships by expanding current law to cover all federal agencies, all classes of ships, and substantially more shipboard components, including items made in Wisconsin, like the diesel engines manufactured by Fairbanks Morse. Senator Baldwin will formally introduce the Made in America Shipbuilding Act after Congress returns to session.

Senator Baldwin has long-championed stronger Buy American standards to ensure that American workers and products are prioritized, especially when U.S. taxpayer dollars are used. Recently, Senator Baldwin led a group of Senators in sending a letter to President Trump urging him to include strong Buy American, Hire American standards in any new infrastructure investment.

In the FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Senator Baldwin secured Buy American requirements in the final legislation. She also ensured the bill supported Made in Wisconsin manufacturing and shipbuilding programs like Oshkosh Defense’s military vehicles and Marinette Marine’s Littoral Combat Ship.

More information on the Made in America Shipbuilding Act is available here.