Hey, Tennessee! Tell Your Lawmakers to Buy American

Live in the Volunteer State? Ask your state reps to back legislation to ensure taxpayer money is reinvested back into local workers and manufacturers, not spent overseas.

Alright, Tennessee: It’s your turn.

Tennessee lawmakers are currently considering legislation to ensure when the state spends taxpayer dollars on construction projects, that money is used to buy American-made products, not spent on goods made overseas.

These commonsense Buy America preferences will help create well-paid American jobs and reinvest tax money right back into local workers, manufacturers, and communities. Without them in place, Tennessee will likely continue to spend tax money overseas, purchasing goods from foreign rivals and strategic adversaries.

American workers and manufacturers abide by some of the strictest labor and environmental guidelines on the planet. They also operate in a free market, and aren’t heavily subsidized or even outright owned by the government, as is the case in countries like China or Russia.

And purchasing local ensures that tax dollars aren’t used to buy goods made with forced labor, a growing concern as evidence continues to emerge that China’s government is using forced labor in the Xinjiang region to make a range of products that make their way onto U.S. shores, including things like aluminum.

Buy America just makes sense. Why send taxpayer money overseas when there are workers and companies here at home ready to do the work at a competitive price?

At least 38 states already have Buy America laws on the books, and others like New Hampshire and Massachusetts are considering their own bills. The federal government, meanwhile, long has abided by Buy America preferences — and the Biden administration is working to strengthen it.

It’s time for Tennessee to get this done — and if you are a Volunteer State resident, you can help!

Tell your state lawmakers to support this legislation and Buy American.