United States new President Joe Biden has signed an executive order that tightens the existing Buy American rules by closing loopholes and reducing waivers granted on federal purchases of US-made goods to ensure that American manufacturing is part of the driving factor of the country's prosperity. Biden signed the executive order on Monday, six days after being sworn in, also ordered the creation of a new post at the White House.
Biden during an event at the White House said, “I don't buy for one second that the vitality of American manufacturing is a thing of the past. American manufacturing was the arsenal of democracy in World War II, and it must be part of the engine of American prosperity now. That means we are going to use taxpayers’ money to rebuild America. We’ll buy American products and support American jobs, union jobs".
Biden said the federal government every year spends approximately USD 600 billion in government procurement to keep the country going safe and secure.
“It spent nearly USD 300 million in foreign engines and on vehicles instead of buying American vehicles and engines from American companies, putting Americans to work,” he said as millions of Americans remained unemployed amidst the raging coronavirus pandemic. "We need to make our own protective equipment, essential products and supplies. And we''ll work with our allies to make sure they have resilient supply chains as well,” Biden said. “At the same time, we''ll be committed to working with our trading partners to modernise international trade rules, including those relating to government procurement, to make sure we can all use our taxpayer dollars to spur investment that promotes growth and resilient supply chains,” Biden said.
