Girding For Buy America Battle...Know Page 489! SAVE OUR JOBS

It is strongly suggested that American Workers and Unions familiarize themselves with the Buy American Language found in the Stimulus Bill on page 489, and be prepared to hold Congress and BIG BUSINESS'S feet to the fire! Canada, Mexico, China and others are already harping that they are being cut out of OUR STIMULUS. In short, they are going to try to make DEALS, use lobbyist to get them backroom deals that steal our jobs, destroy even more of our manufacturing base. This is an American Stimulus, and will only remain so if we FORCE OUR GOVERNMENT to stick to the red letter of the law as written on page 489 of the Stimulus Bill. If we hold them to it, if we have attorneys on the ready, we can KEEP THIS MONEY HOME HERE IN AMERICA where it belongs. Further, every person reading this blog is encouraged to call their elected officials demanding a ADD ON BILL that would Make hiring Americans and E Verify a MANDATORY PARTICIPATION requirement for ANY STIMULUS OR BAILOUT FUNDS...this would force companies to HIRE AMERICANS, and by applying it to the bailout as well, it would also stop AMERICAN BAILOUT FUNDS BEING given to foreign companies.

"SEC. 1605. USE OF AMERICAN IRON, STEEL, AND MANUFACTURED GOODS. [PDF - see page 489]

(a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used for a project for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public building or public work unless all of the iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in the project are produced in the United States.*

(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply in any case or any category of cases in which the head of the Federal department or agency involved finds that applying subsection (a) would be inconsistent with the public interest; THIS IS WHERE THE LEGAL BATTLE NEEDS TO BE FOUGHT...be ready to FILE LAWSUITS, and LOTS OF THEM.

(2) iron, steel, and the relevant manufactured goods are not produced in the United States if sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality; or

(3) inclusion of iron, steel, and manufactured goods produced in the United States will increase the cost of the overall project by more than 25 percent. China will try to get around Buy American with this section by DUMPING product at rediculous prices.

(c) If the head of a Federal department or agency determines that it is necessary to waive the application of subsection (a) based on a finding under subsection (b) the head of the department or agency shall publish in the Federal Register a detailed written jurisdiction as to why the provision is being waived. Does the public get a chance to CHALLENGE? submit comments? public hearings?

(d) This section shall be applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international agreements.

[The Joint Explanatory Statement indicates:]

Section 1605 provides for the use of American iron, steel, and manufactured goods, except in certain instances. Section 1605 (d) is not intended to repeal by implication the President's authority under Title III of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979. The conferees anticipate that the Administration will rely on the authority under 19 U.S.C. 2511 (b) to the extent necessary to comply with U.S. obligations under the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement and under US free trade agreements and so that section 1605 will not apply to least developed countries to the same extent that it does not apply to the parties to those international agreements. The conferees also note that waiver authority under section 2511 (b) (2) has not been used."