It looks like the governors in various states of the U.S. are laying out their plans for 2013. And high atop their list of priorities is infrastructure investment.

According to a news roundup by "Building America's Future," no less than 16 governors are making the case for upgrading their respective state's bridges, roads, and other key transit and public works.

Unfortunately, none of them seem to have made the connection between creating jobs and using American-made steel and other components.

The Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) has repeatedly made the case for Buy America preferences.  And as national polling continually demonstrates, voters love "Buy American."

Research conducted in 2009 found that when domestic content is maximized, manufacturing employment gains from infrastructure investment increase by up to 33 percent.  So, at a time when the U.S. manufacturing sector is trying to create new jobs, Buy America preferences should be a common-sense first step for policymakers seeking to rejuvenate a productive, wealth-creating sector of our economy.

Read more about the benefits to the U.S. economy of keeping it "Made in America."