USA.- Today President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order to strengthen the Buy America component of the U.S. government’s procurement process. ASPA Executive Director Dr. David Veal made the following statement in support of the order:
“President Trump’s Executive Order released today to strengthen our government’s Buy America program will create new jobs in the Gulf shrimp communities of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and across the country. We commend President Trump’s commitment to making sure the federal government purchases American products whenever possible. We deserve a comprehensive review of the programs in place at each of our agencies to ensure that domestic industries obtain the maximum positive economic from Buy American programs.
While some federal agencies such as the Department of Commerce and the Department of Transportation have great procurement guidelines in place, it is unclear whether all federal agencies pursue Buy America with the same vigor. Any loopholes in the law that benefit foreign producers need to be closed. Any provisions which impede U.S. producers need to be changed.
We appreciate this effort and the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to restore the competitive position of the country. This is the strongest effort by any Administration to ensure that US laws designed to promote the purchase of domestically-produced products are effectively enforced.”
