Buy America has been longstanding U.S. policy for nearly 80 years.  Starting with the Buy American Act of 1933, the federal government has had laws on the books to ensure that hard-earned tax dollars are reinvested in the American economy and that they prioritize job creation here in America and not abroad. To support our national security capabilities, Buy America laws were expanded in the 1940s to apply to defense spending. In the early 1980s, President Ronald Reagan signed into law an expansion of Buy America policy for highway and transit projects that are funded by federal grants.

Here's a question: As a Member of Congress, how has Paul Ryan (R-WI) voted on Buy America?

In November 2003, Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced an amendment that would have required that engines purchased for the Coast Guard’s new fleet of ships be made in America.  Baldwin introduced the amendment with Paul Ryan, who argued that many defense contracts had made-in-America requirements, which he said help national security by ensuring that needed goods are available in the U.S.)

The amendment was rejected on a voice vote.

As the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) found in a recent national poll, voters overwhelmingly support Buy America preferences.

When presented with proposals to enact strong Buy American provisions for such public works, overwhelming majorities of Republican (87 percent), Democratic (91 percent), and Independent (87 percent) voters were in favor.  Even when presented with arguments from critics of Buy American about allegedly higher costs and increased taxes, voters supported Buy American policies by a wide margin.

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