Congressman Chris Murphy today announced he is introducing the Full Disclosure in Federal Contracting Act, new legislation to raise awareness of the glaring loopholes in the Buy American law. Murphy, the founder of the Congressional Buy American Caucus, has worked for years to close loopholes that allow American tax dollars to be sent to foreign companies, and to keep more taxpayer dollars and jobs here in Connecticut and the United States.
Murphy announced the bill at J. Dewey Manufacturing, an Oxford based company that competes with foreign companies for federal contracts. The bill, which was originally the idea of the company’s president, George Dewey, would require the federal government to disclose all loopholes in the Buy America law when soliciting bids for government work.
“The Buy American Act is full of loopholes and that’s costing our state and country jobs,” said Murphy. “Waivers to the current law allow overseas companies to win contracts that would otherwise go to help American companies create American jobs. Our tax dollars should be going to American companies first, and with this bill we’re working to bring more awareness to the ways the Buy American Act could be stronger.”
Currently, American companies that do business with the federal government are sometimes misled into thinking that only American products can be used to fulfill federal contracts. Due to waivers and loopholes in the Buy American Act, there are usually many countries whose products could legally fulfill the contract.
Murphy’s bill would require all federal contract solicitations to list all of the countries whose products could satisfy the contract so American business owners have more of the information they need to compete and succeed.
“This particular problem with our Buy American laws gives business owners like George Dewey an incomplete picture of the competition,” Murphy added. “While we continue the fight to close these loopholes and create jobs, increasing contracting transparency for American business owners is a big step in the right direction, and I’m confident that both Democrats and Republicans in Congress will agree.”