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Garamendi Renews Push for Higher Federal Make It In America Standard Following BART Board Rail Car Purchase Vote

May 10, 2012

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), a former Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today renewed his call for a higher federal Buy America requirement after the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board approved a rail car purchase with a third less American content than another competitive bid.

"Today the BART Board voted in favor of a bid for new rail cars that had 66 percent American content, when another company could provide the same cars with 95 percent American content," said Congressman Garamendi. "Nearly a billion dollars of jobs will now be created abroad instead of in America. American workers, American taxpayers, and transit users deserve better."

MakeitinAmericaBARTBayBridge.jpg"Naysayers will tell you that we can’t Make It In America, but that’s clearly not the case. There are plenty of hardworking Americans ready, willing, and able to do this work, and the facilities exist to make these rail cars here," added Garamendi. "Present federal law is insufficient. We need a change in federal policy to require transportation agencies to weigh Buy America standards greater in their procurement processes, keeping our tax dollars circulating in our economy and putting our neighbors to work rebuilding America’s crumbling transportation infrastructure."

"My Make It In America bill, H.R. 613, would require any transportation project using federal taxpayer dollars to Make It In America," Garamendi continued. "We now know that 95% American-made is both practical and price competitive. Let’s make it happen and reverse the downward spiral in American manufacturing. We can Make It In America again. We can rebuild America’s middle class."