Legal Commentary

What Is The Purpose Of The Buy America Provisions In The Stimulus Plan?

By Big Tent Democrat

In 1933, Congress enacted the Buy American Act:

. . . [O]nly such unmanufactured articles, materials, and supplies as have been mined or produced in the United States, and only such manufactured articles, materials, and supplies as have been manufactured in the United States substantially all from articles, materials, or supplies mined, produced, or manufactured, as the case may be, in the United States, shall be acquired for public use.

Despite the existence of this law, a Buy American provision was attached to the House stimulus plan. I neither understand the clamor for this provision nor the opposition to it. It seems superfluous to me. What am I missing?

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on January 31, 2009 (boomark / email).