Biden Tries to Portray Himself as ‘America First’ President on Steel Needed for Infrastructure Projects
“administration will require that material purchased to build projects funded by the $1 trillion infrastructure bill be made in the United States”
Joe Biden is trying to paint himself as an “America first” kind of guy by requiring that all infrastructure projects in the U.S. use American steel.
A cynical person might view this as nothing more than Biden paying back the steelworker union for their support.
Jon Brown reports at FOX News:
Biden will require infrastructure projects buy from America first for steel, iron
The Biden administration will require that material purchased to build projects funded by the $1 trillion infrastructure bill be made in the United States, according to administration officials.
The 17-page guidance being issued Monday also contains rules by which such requirements can be waived if there are not enough domestic producers or the material is too expensive, but the goal remains that fewer waivers will be necessary as U.S. manufacturing increases.
Beginning May 14, none of the money allocated to federal agencies for infrastructure projects can be used “unless all of the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in the project are produced in the United States,” according to a provision in the infrastructure bill that passed last November.
The guidance also explains that such requirements can be waived if the purchase “would be inconsistent with the public interest,” if the needed materials aren’t produced “in sufficient and reasonably available quantities or of a satisfactory quality,” or if U.S. materials increase a project’s cost by more than 25%.
It’s worth noting that even though the steelworkers union endorsed Biden, they ended up begging him to keep Trump’s tariffs in place.
NBC News has more:
In 17 pages of guidance Monday, the Office of Management and Budget instructs federal agencies to make sure that by mid-May, any projects to build or repair roads, bridges, water pipes or even broadband internet are made with domestic products, including iron and steel.
“This means all manufacturing processes, from the initial melting stage through the application of coatings, occurred in the United States,” the guidance says of the metals requirement.
Government agencies can obtain waivers for the requirements if it’s found that procuring the products domestically isn’t in the public’s interest, that quantities of the materials aren’t “sufficient and reasonably available … or of a satisfactory quality,” or if the U.S.-sourced materials would raise the cost of a project by more than 25 percent, the guidance says.
I’m not against the use of American steel. I think it’s a great idea, but I am curious. Is Biden expecting this steel to be produced with wind power?
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Its a “law” with a built in escape clause so it means nothing.
I suspect that now that he’s fumbled Ukraine into the lava, he needs someplace else to collect his 10% from.
The issue is domestic manufacturing and production capacity not just steel but a wide range of items. One simple way to create incentives to reshore would be to use govt contracts. The feds buy or lease lots of cpu, cell phones automobiles every year. All require CPU chip so set an initial requirement that all CPU used by federal govt must have chips produced in the US, then add cell phones then automobiles on a timeline. Use the same or similar formula for pharmaceuticals, PPE and all other products that are strategically important. This works to provide a base market for domestic US manufacturing and production to be established which can then be expanded to private consumers.
Another way to assist this reshore would be for the populist right MAGA to ally out of convenience with those environmental groups that are willing. Set tariffs on imports manufactured in Nations without strong environmental standards and practices. This has the added benefit of putting the onus on these groups to either put up or shut up by providing a binary choice. If they care about the environment then they will join in but if they are simply anti capitalist Luddites they won’t. Most will be exposed for the grifting frauds they are v the virtuous environmental stewards they profess to be.
The fatal flaw in your narrative is that the left is deliberately and wantonly set upon our complete destruction as a nation as we know it so everything they do is merely an illusion “looking beneficial” until one peels the onion to get to the truth.
The bottom line is they are already “exposed” and simply don’t care anymore because nothing happens because the RINO’s are providing cover fire.
The hard core true believing d/prove for sure; it’s who they are and they have been very bold recently in displaying exactly who they are and what they believe. Of course that sort of honesty and openness regarding CRT/equity, trans agenda, Parental rights and community control of school board policies didn’t work in VA. Nor is it likely to work anywhere else.
There are plenty more or less middle of the road voters who want to believe and will be disappointed and vengeful at the polls when they figure out the d/prog and their environmental group allies have sold them a bill of goods. Eventually the bill comes due for all these agenda items that are not making life better for average folks and in fact are making things worse. Just like VA voters who saw behind the curtains of the ed establishment the curtains have been pulled back on a host of issues by the overly bold, triumphant d/prog. I contend that the political ground is about to shift due to the revelations.
Producing steel is about as energy-intensive a process as there is. Now that Brandon is exporting our SPR and crushing domestic production of our biggest natural resource, how are the steel companies expected to proceed?
Are you suggesting that windmills and unicorn farts are not adequate power supplies for steel plants?
Instead, we should harvest the unicorns for their horns, which reportedly can pierce armor. Biden might a well kill all the golden geese and eat all the seed corn that he can.
“It ain’t my fault. The Easter Bunny made me do it.”
In fact, that might be true. That Easter Bunny was shorter than Brandon and might have been Dr. Jill.
In reply to jb4
Well, if they get introduced as the President and First Bunny it will definitely be suspicious.
No! Of course not!
The problem with using unicorn farts is that everyone knows that cold iron cancels magic.
The problem with using windmill icons when your name is Milhouse is that it leads to confusion. A picture of Nixon whose middle name was Milhouse would be more appropriate.
Nixon’s name was Milhous, no E.
Yeah. This is the democrat version of America first.
“I will stand up for you. And I will fight for you, Okay?
Unless I am shooed away by the Easter bunny.”
At least Jimmuh Cahtah was attacked by an actual rabbit in the wild.
Not a cartoon rabbit on the WH lawn.
“American last” would be more fitting.
In just a 5-minute internet search, it looks like American steel will not be used for any of the infrastructure projects as US steel prices are significantly higher than China’s prices.
Democrat donors will set up American shell companies that “sell” steel then outsource the actual production to China and Asia and then declare bankruptcy. The name ‘Solyndra’ is no longer registered, I believe.
Utter nonsense … or as some say, malarkey.
Consider this:
Indian Shipyards
“Joe Biden is trying to paint himself as an ‘America first’ kind of guy by requiring that all infrastructure projects in the U.S. use American steel.”
Well, he certainly proved that he is no man of steel. What man of steel would let the Easter Bunny shoo him around like that? That’s the most embarassing thing I’ve ever seen. From now on when heads of state visit they will demand to speak to the Easter Bunny.
That wasn’t the Easter Bunny. It was the supervillain Albu-Man.
It was actually Meghan Hays, director of message planning at the White House. That’s why she told him to go sit in a corner before he said something inconvenient.
better approve the permits for metallurgic coal used for coking then.
like that would happen.
“July 8, 2021 – The International Monetary Fund advised the Biden administration ending the Trump tariffs would benefit the U.S. and world economy.”
“U.S., EU end Trump-era tariff war over steel and aluminum
By David Lawder and Andrea Shalal” Reuters
Huh, just a few months Biden was both keeping the Trump tariffs in place and also stopping them with the world wanting an end to all this schizophrenic policy. Almost like Biden doesn’t know what he is doing and just reacting to the lowest poll numbers of a US President in history at this point.
Evidence indicates Biden doesn’t know what he is doing- that’s not a really debatable issue.
Biden’s owners and handlers do however know exactly what they are directing him to do, they have a desired end goal in mind and seem unwilling to stop at anything ( even causing damage to other sects of leftist causes) in their pursuit of their agenda.
They are also unconcerned and oblivious to any damage (collateral or otherwise) caused or even endured by them in the accomplishment of their goals.
F J B
The saddest part of all is that some will believe him.