Dive Brief:
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U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin have introduced legislation that would require contractors working on federally funded transportation projects to use American-made materials.
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The legislation would extend “Buy America” standards that already apply to some highway and water infrastructure projects to include all major U.S. Department of Transportation construction and Federal Aviation Administration transit projects.
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Called the Invest in American Jobs Act, the proposal would create jobs and increase the amount of U.S.-made products used in transportation construction, Merkley said in a press release.
Dive Insight:
Merkley said in a press release, "This legislation will create more jobs, strengthen American manufacturing, and ensure that more of our transportation projects are built using high-quality, made-in-America materials.”
Similar legislation was introduced in 2013 and 2014 but was not enacted.