Senator Murphy voices concern over the outsourcing of America’s defense
Last week was Manufacturing Day, a national celebration of the industry and spirit that built our nation into the superpower that it is today. And in case you missed it, Connecticut Senator Murphy took the opportunity to note a problem with Defense procurement which, directly affects both American manufacturers and our national security.
In a letter to the Secretary of Defense, Senator Murphy cited a disturbing report published last August by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense. According to the report, 40 percent of the naval contracts selected for review violated critical domestic sourcing provisions.
In other words: Your tax dollars are going overseas to pay for the outsourcing of our defense industrial base.
This is dangerous for two reasons.
First, it is essential that the United States produce our defense needs domestically. Becoming reliant on foreign supply chains for our military strength is detrimental to the very foundation of our national security. Both the Berry Amendment and the Buy American Act were instituted in response to this concern. The Berry Amendment, which has been in effect for nearly a century, has specifically required that Department of Defense procurement take every possible action to ensure that our military equipment is made in America. The naval contracts cited in the IG report violated this cornerstone of American military policy.
“We shouldn’t be spending taxpayer money overseas at the expense of Connecticut manufacturers, says Senator Murphy. “It’s time to put American jobs first.”
Second, as Senator Murphy points out in his letter, there are American jobs and businesses at stake. We should not be spending American tax dollars to employ workers in other countries. Tax dollars are meant to be spent in ways that benefit Americans. Murphy emphasizes that the manufacturing work which the federal government is outsourcing is vital to Connecticut’s economy. Manufacturing in Connecticut represents “10.2% of the state’s jobs, accounting for 87% of the state’s total exports, and expanding opportunities for thousands of men and women across Connecticut.”
I would like to thank Senator Murphy for his leadership on this important issue. It is one that affects every American, both at home and serving abroad. America’s national security depends on the best equipment made by the finest workers. We can only guarantee these standards by keeping our defense industrial base Made in America.