New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu Signs Buy America Legislation
The Granite State now joins the federal government and dozens of states across the country in prioritizing American-made materials for taxpayer-funded construction projects. Will Massachusetts soon join the club?
Nicely done, New Hampshire.
Gov. Chris Sununu (R) stopped by Capone Iron Corporation in North Woods, N.H., on Monday to officially sign HB 1503, bipartisan legislation that gives priority to American-made steel in taxpayer-funded construction projects. This new Buy America law will help ensure taxpayer dollars are reinvested right back into local workers, manufacturers and communities instead of being sent overseas to places like China.
Buy America laws like the one just put into place in the Granite State are essential to strengthening American manufacturing and creating good jobs, as they help level the playing field for U.S. workers and companies that must face the predatory trade practices of foreign governments.
This afternoon I signed bipartisan legislation at @CaponeIron in Berlin that prioritizes American-made steel in our state’s large-scale construction projects, making sure we keep economic opportunity right here in the 603 to benefit NH communities and families.
— Chris Sununu (@GovChrisSununu) June 27, 2022pic.twitter.com/DG90cRoVsX
Trade cheating by other countries — which includes everything from state-owned enterprises and massive subsidies to lax labor and environmental laws — means that foreign firms can unfairly undercut American companies, putting in bids for publicly funded projects that are far below fair market value.
Stephen Capone, owner of Capone Iron Corporation, told us that the bids from foreign firms were so artificially low he stopped bidding on government procurement projects. But the Buy America legislation signed by Sununu will help level the playing field for folks like Capone, who told WMUR in New Hampshire that the new law is “a big win for our industry.”
“The fact that we can now bid on public construction jobs — 90% of those jobs we were losing to foreign competition,” Capone said. “Big win for New Hampshire fabricators, our shops, our workers, our communities, everything. It’s huge.”
State Sen. Tom Sherman (D) introduced the legislation, which had backing across party lines. The federal government and dozens of states already have similar Buy America guidelines on the books; New York and Texas are among those who have strengthened their Buy America preferences over the past year.
Attention now moves to Massachusetts, where similar Buy America legislation is making its way through the state legislature. We encourage Bay State lawmakers to vote to enact these commonsense preferences.
