Blumenthal, Murphy Call For American-Made Iron And Steel In Federal Projects

U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy joined Democrats and Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, to call for American-made iron and steel to be used in federal infrastructure projects.

Lawmakers said a "Buy America" provision in the Water Resources Development Act passed in the Senate version of the bill with bipartisan support but was pulled from a compromise bill.

"The American people spoke clearly in this past election that they want leaders who fight for the working class and who advance policies that create more jobs and grow the U.S. manufacturing sector," the senators wrote in a letter to the top Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate. "We urge you to heed their voices in the WRDA negotiations and ensure the DWSRF Buy America provisions are incorporated in the final bill."

Murphy has pushed for several so-called "Buy American" bills, particularly in the area of defense spending. He criticized the Department of Defense earlier this year after a second Pentagon report found that purchasing practices failed to comply with federal law intended to promote U.S. manufacturing.

Read more: http://www.courant.com/politics/capitol-watch/hc-blumenthal-murphy-buy-american-story.html