U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Introduces Legislation Requiring Trump Administration to Release Buy American Reports

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) today introduced the Keep Buying American Act of 2018 (S. 3006) requiring the federal agencies covered by President Trump’s April 2017 Buy American executive order to publicly release reports required by the executive order. These reports should contain recommendations to strengthen compliance with Buy American laws to protect American workers and manufacturers. They are not currently available to the public or to Members of Congress. 

“President Trump signed his Buy American and Hire American executive order in Kenosha, Wisconsin over a year ago. As part of this order he asked his own Administration to complete a report on Buy American laws and submit it to him but that either never happened or the Trump Administration is keeping the report a secret,” said Senator Baldwin. “Wisconsin manufacturers and workers deserve to have this report released publicly so we can be assured that our government is keeping its commitment to the Buy American, Hire American promises President Trump has made.”

On April 18, 2017, President Trump visited Kenosha, Wisconsin and signed an Executive Order tasking 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.

In December 2017, Senator Baldwin sent a letter to President Trump calling for the Trump Administration to complete and make public the Buy American report. The White House responded by saying the report was an internal document.

Senator Baldwin was joined by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in introducing this legislation.