Brown introduces bill to ensure DOT projects invest in US

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) introduced a bill that forces the Department of Transportation to “buy American.”

“The U.S. government must take every opportunity to help improve our economy and create jobs for Americans,” Brown said Tuesday.

{mosads}Brown said the Invest in American Jobs Act would help ensure taxpayer dollars used in federal infrastructure projects support U.S. workers and businesses by requiring DOT to use domestic steel, iron, and other manufactured goods in infrastructure projects.

“My legislation would ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent supporting American workers and businesses in infrastructure projects,” Brown said. “Doing so would help rebuild our infrastructure while supporting U.S. industries and the jobs they support.”

Currently, some DOT projects are required to use 60 percent domestic content, but Brown’s bill would change that to 100 percent over five years.

The bill would also require DOT to publish an annual Buy America report that identifies all waivers that were issued and the value of each one.