FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 7, 2020

Contact: 

Hannah Muldavin (Trone) Hannah.Muldavin@mail.house.gov 

Sara Robertson (Crawford) Sara.Robertson2@mail.house.gov

U.S. Reps. Trone, Crawford Call for U.S. to ‘Buy American’ in New Bipartisan Bill 

The New Legislation Would Promote Purchase of American-Made Goods for Strategic National Stockpile

WASHINGTON — As the U.S. continues to see COVID-19 death numbers and PPE shortages climb, U.S. Representatives David Trone (D-MD) and Rick Crawford (R-AR) introduced the bipartisan American Made Strategic National Stockpile Act, which would require the purchase of American-made goods for the Strategic National Stockpile. The duo introduced the legislation just as President Trump’s signed an Executive Order encouraging federal agencies to buy American-made medical supplies. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has called into question the stability of the United States’ domestic medical supply chains. The U.S. Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) contains around $8 billion worth of medication, vaccines, and medical products. However, the United States’ reliance on goods from other countries led to shortages of critical medical supplies for American hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and businesses.

“We shouldn’t have to rely on China and other strategic competitors for masks, ventilators, drugs, and other lifesaving medical supplies, especially during a global pandemic where we’ve already lost hundreds of thousands of lives,” said Congressman David Trone. “I don’t care if it costs a dollar more to buy masks that are made in Maryland or Arkansas, buying American products is good for American workers, American jobs, and the American economy. Promoting ‘buying American’ should be a no-brainer.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the danger of depending on nations like China for vital medical supplies and the need to support businesses here at home,” said Congressman Rick Crawford. “I’m glad to see this issue addressed through President Trump’s recent Executive Order, but these changes must be permanently solidified through legislation. We have an obligation to prioritize American made medical supplies, not just during difficult times for the American worker, but every year moving forward.”

The legislation adds language from the Berry Amendment, a 1941 provision to foster the purchase of U.S. goods by the Department of Defense, into the statute of the Strategic National Stockpile. This bill would strengthen domestic medical supply chains, create new jobs for Americans, and better prepare us for the future public health emergency.

You can read bill text here.

You can read a one-pager about the bill here.

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