State Government Must Lead
Wisconsin State Government should lead the way in procuring goods and services from local businesses. We need to make sure that our taxpayer dollars stay in our communities where they help create good jobs here instead of encouraging companies to ship jobs overseas. Wisconsin’s workers produce an incredible array of high-quality products. When our own government agencies source these products from somewhere else, it’s not just bad public policy—it’s a slap in the face of every man and woman who works hard to keep Wisconsin growing.
We know that when our taxpayer dollars go overseas, our jobs soon follow. We need to support Wisconsin businesses and workers by procuring state-made goods and services whenever possible. Our jobs and communities depend on it. It’s time our elected officials get the message: Buy Wisconsin!
Support These Buy Wisconsin-friendly Bills in the State Legislature
Assembly Bill 461 “Buy American”
In July of 2021, Representative Tip McGuire (D-64) and Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-32) introduced a “Buy American” bill that seeks to reform Wisconsin’s state procurement laws to be better able to use our taxpayer dollars to buy local, made-in-the USA products. Assembly Bill 461 will ensure Wisconsin taxpayer dollars are being used to support American-made materials and American businesses when the state and local governments are purchasing goods and supplies.
The 2021 Buy American legislation package is a commonsense bill that will prioritize made in the USA goods in our state and local communities’ procurement processes. This will encourage economic growth, boost American manufacturing, and support America’s workers and middle class.
2021 Assembly Joint Resolution 69 “Buy WI Paper”
This Resolution seeks to update the Wisconsin State Constitution to ensure the Legislature is prioritizing Wisconsin-made paper in its paper purchasing. The resolutions to amend the State Constitution must be passed by two consecutive legislatures and then put to the people for a vote via referendum.
Efforts from the White House
On January 25, 2021, five days after taking office, President Joe Biden issued Executive Order 14005 “Ensuring the Future is Made in All of America by All of America’s Workers” launching a whole-of-government initiative to strengthen the use of federal procurement to support American manufacturing. In April of 2021, President Biden launched a new Made in America Office. The Office reviews proposed waivers of Made-in-America laws and helps agencies use taxpayer dollars to support U.S. manufacturing. The U.S. government is a major buying of goods – from helicopters and trucks, to paper, plates, and pens, leveraging that purchasing power to support America’s working men and women is a major focus of the Biden Administration.