Library / Laws / 113th / s / S. 2682 / Introduced in Senate
II
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2682
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 29, 2014
Mr. Pryor (for himself and Mr. Walsh) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance
A BILL
To require certain Federal agencies to use iron, steel, wood products, cement and manufactured
goods produced in the United States in public construction projects, to
permanently
extend the Build America Bonds program, to ensure that transportation and
infrastructure projects
carried out using Federal financial assistance are constructed with steel,
iron, and manufactured goods that are produced in the United States, and for
other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Made in the U.S.A. Act.
2.
Buy American
(a)
In
general
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except for the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19 U.S.C.
2501 et seq.), the head of a
Federal agency may not obligate or expend funds appropriated to
the
agency, or provide financial assistance using funds appropriated to the
agency,
for a project for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of
a
public building or public work unless substantially all of the iron,
steel, wood
products, cement, and manufactured goods used in
the
project are produced in the United States.
(b)
Waiver
The
head of a Federal agency may waive the provisions of subsection (a) with
respect to such
if he or she determines that—
(1) the application
of such provisions would be inconsistent with the public interest;
(2) iron, steel, wood products, cement, and manufactured goods are
not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available
quantities and of a satisfactory quality; or
(3) inclusion of iron, steel, wood products, cement, and manufactured goods produced in the United
States will increase the project schedule or total cost of
the
project by more than 25 percent (or by more than 50 percent for Department
of Defense projects).
(c)
Waiver requirements
(1)
Detailed justification in federal register
If the head of a Federal agency issues a waiver under subsection (b), he or she shall
publish a detailed
justification for such waiver in the Federal Register.
(2)
Annual
report
Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of
this Act, and annually thereafter, in any year that the head of a Federal
agency
issues a waiver under subsection (b), the agency head shall
submit a report to Congress that—
(A) specifies each project with respect to which the agency head issued a waiver under subsection (b)
during the preceding calendar year;
(B) identifies the country of origin and product specifications for steel, iron, wood products, cement
or manufactured goods acquired pursuant to each waiver issued by the
agency head under subsection (b) during the preceding calendar year;
(C) summarizes the monetary value of contracts awarded pursuant to each such waiver;
(D) summarizes the funds expended on—
(i) steel, iron, wood products, cement, and manufactured goods produced in the United States for
projects with respect to which the requirement under this
section applied during the preceding calendar year; and
(ii) steel, iron, wood products, cement, and manufactured goods produced outside the United States for
projects with respect to which the agency head issued a waiver under
subsection (b)(1) during the preceding calendar year; and
(E) provides an employment impact analysis of the cumulative effect of all waivers issued by the agency
head under subsection (b) during the preceding calendar year on
manufacturing employment in the United States.
(d)
Excepted items
This section shall not apply to articles, materials, or supplies—
(1) for use outside the United States (as described in sections 8302(a)(2)(A) and 8303(b)(1)(A));
(2) below the micro-purchase threshold under section 1902 of title 41, United States Code;
(3) including information technology that is a commercial item (as described in section 25.103(e) of
title 48, Code of Federal Regulations); or
(4) for commissary resale (as described in section 25.103(d) of title 48, Code of Federal Regulations).
(e)
Relationship to
State requirements
The head of a Federal agency may not
impose any limitation or condition on financial assistance provided using
funds
appropriated to the agency that—
(1) restricts any State from imposing more
stringent requirements than the requirements under this section on the use
of iron, steel, wood products, cement, and manufactured goods in
foreign countries in projects carried out with such assistance; or
(2) restricts any
recipient of such assistance from complying with such State requirements.
(f)
Intentional
violations
A person
shall be ineligible to receive any contract or subcontract made with funds
authorized to be appropriated to a Federal agency pursuant to the
debarment,
suspension, and ineligibility procedures in subpart 9.4 of chapter 1 of
title
48, Code of Federal Regulations, for a 6-year period beginning on the date
of a determination under this subsection, if a court or the Federal agency
determines that the person intentionally
represented that
any iron, steel, wood product, cement, or manufactured good used in
projects to which this section applies, sold in
or
shipped
to the United States that was not produced in the United States, was
produced
in the United States.
(g)
Application of
requirements to entire project
The requirement under subsection (a) and the
exceptions specified in subsection (b) shall apply to the total of
obligations
and
expenditures for an entire project and not only to obligations and
expenditures
for component parts of such project.
(h)
Definitions
In this section, the terms
public building and public work—
(1) have the meanings
given such terms in section 8301 of title 41, United States Code; and
(2) include
airports, bridges, canals, dams, dikes, pipelines, railroads, multiline
mass
transit systems, roads, tunnels, harbors, and piers.
(i)
Effective
date
This section shall apply to amounts appropriated or
otherwise
made available at least 1 year after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
3.
Permanent
Extension of Build America Bonds
(a)
Reduction in
bond holder credit percentage
Section 54AA(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is
amended by striking 35 percent and inserting 28 percent
(35 percent in the case of bonds issued before January 1, 2011).
(b)
Permanent extension
Section 54AA(d)(1)(B) of such Code is amended by
inserting
or after the date of the enactment of the Made in the U.S.A. Act, after January 1, 2011,.
(c)
Qualified bond defined
Section 54AA(g) of such Code
is amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
(2)
Qualified bond
For purposes of this section, the term qualified bond—
(A) means any build America bond issued as part of an issue if—
(i) 100 percent of the excess of—
(I) the available project proceeds (as defined in section 54A) of such issue, over
(II) the amounts in a reasonably required reserve (within the meaning of section 150(a)(3)) with respect
to such issue, are to be used for capital expenditures (including capital
expenditures for
levees and other flood control projects), and
(ii) the issuer makes an irrevocable election to have this subsection apply;
(B) includes any bond (or series of bonds) issued to refund a qualified
bond if—
(i) the average maturity date of the issue of
which the refunding bond is a part is not later than the average
maturity date
of the bonds to be refunded by such issue,
(ii) the amount of the
refunding bond does not exceed the outstanding amount of the
refunded bond,
and
(iii) the refunded
bond is redeemed not later than 90 days after the date of the
issuance of the
refunding bond,
(C) includes any bond (or
series of bonds) that is reasonably expected to be used for the
issuer’s
operating expenses as long as the issue is limited to a maturity of
13 months
or less, and
(D) includes any bond (or series of bonds) that is a
qualified 501(c)(3) bond (as defined in section
145).
(3)
Additional purposes
(A) In the case of a refunding bond referred to in
paragraph (2)(B), the applicable percentage with respect to such
bond under
section 6431(b) shall be the lowest percentage specified in
paragraph (2) of
such section.
(B) For purposes of paragraph (2)(B)(i), average
maturity shall be determined in accordance with section
147(b)(2)(A).
(C) Subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code, shall apply to projects financed with
the proceeds of any build America bond issued
after the date of the enactment of this paragraph.
.
(d)
Payments to
issuers
(1)
In
general
Section 6431 of such
Code is amended—
(A) in subsection (a), by striking issued before January 1,
2011; and
(B) in subsection (f)(1)(B), by striking
before January 1, 2011 and inserting
during a particular period.
(2)
Conforming
amendments
Section 54AA(g) of such Code is
amended—
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking
qualified bonds issued
before 2011 and inserting
certain qualified
bonds; and
(B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking before January 1,
2011.
(e)
Reduction in
percentage of payments to issuers
Section 6431(b) of such Code
is amended by striking 35 percent and inserting 28
percent (35 percent in the case of bonds issued before January 1,
2011).
4.
Federal-aid
highway Buy America provisions
(a)
In
general
Section 313 of title
23, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
313.
Buy
America
(a)
Domestic source
requirement for steel, iron, and manufactured goods
(1)
In
general
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds made
available to carry out this title may not be obligated for a
project unless the
steel, iron, and manufactured goods used for the project are
produced in the
United States.
(2)
Scope
The
requirements under this section shall apply to all contracts for a
project
carried out
within the scope of the applicable finding, determination, or
decision under
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.),
regardless of the funding source of such contracts, if at least 1
contract
for the project is funded with amounts made available to carry out
this
title.
(b)
Exceptions
(1)
Issuance of
waivers
The Secretary may waive the requirements of subsection
(a) only if the Secretary determines that—
(A) applying
subsection (a) would be inconsistent with the public interest, as
determined in
accordance with the regulations issued under paragraph (2);
(B) the steel, iron,
or manufactured goods required for a project are not produced in
the United
States—
(i) in
sufficient and reasonably available quantities; and
(ii) of a satisfactory
quality; or
(C) the use of steel,
iron, and manufactured goods produced in the United States for a
project will
increase the project schedule or total cost of
the
project by more than 25 percent.
(2)
Rulemaking
The Secretary shall issue regulations establishing the
criteria
that the Secretary shall use to determine whether the application
of subsection
(a) is inconsistent with the public interest for purposes of
paragraph
(1)(A).
(3)
Labor
costs
For purposes of this subsection, labor costs involved in
final assembly shall not be included in calculating the cost of
components.
(4)
Requests for
waivers
A recipient of assistance under this title seeking a
waiver under paragraph (1) shall submit a request for such waiver
to the Secretary in such form and containing such information as the
Secretary may
require.
(c)
Waiver
requirements
(1)
Public
notification of and opportunity for comment on request for a waiver
(A)
In
general
If the Secretary receives a request for a waiver under
subsection (b), the Secretary shall provide notice of and an
opportunity for
public comment on the request at least 30 days before making a
finding based on
the request.
(B)
Notice
requirements
A notice provided under subparagraph (A)—
(i) shall include the
information available to the Secretary concerning the request,
including
whether the request is being made under subparagraph (A), (B), or
(C) of subsection (b)(1); and
(ii) shall be provided by
electronic means, including on the official public Internet website
of the
Department of Transportation.
(2)
Detailed
justification in Federal Register
If the Secretary issues a waiver under
subsection (b), the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register
a detailed
justification for the waiver that—
(A) addresses the
public comments received under paragraph (1)(A); and
(B) is published
before the waiver takes effect.
(d)
State
requirements
The Secretary may not impose a limitation or
condition on assistance provided under this title that restricts—
(1) a State from
imposing requirements that are more stringent than those imposed
under this
section with respect to limiting the use of articles, materials, or
supplies
mined, produced, or manufactured in foreign countries for projects
carried out
with such assistance; or
(2) any recipient of
such assistance from complying with such State requirements.
(e)
Intentional
violations
Pursuant to procedures established under subpart 9.4
of chapter 1 of title 48, Code of Federal Regulations, a person
shall be
ineligible to receive a contract or subcontract funded with amounts
made
available to carry out this title if the Secretary, the head of any
department,
agency, or instrumentality of the United States, or a court
determines that
such person intentionally—
(1) affixed a label
bearing a Made in America inscription, or any inscription with
the same meaning, to any steel, iron, or manufactured goods that—
(A) were used in a
project to which this section applies; and
(B) were not produced
in the United States; or
(2) represented that
any steel, iron, or manufactured goods were produced in the United
States
that—
(A) were used in a
project to which this section applies; and
(B) were not produced
in the United States.
(f)
Consistency with
international agreements
(1)
In
general
This section shall be applied in a manner that is
consistent with United States obligations under international
agreements.
(2)
Treatment of
foreign countries in violation of international agreements
The
Secretary shall prohibit the use of steel, iron, and manufactured
goods
produced in a foreign country in a project funded with amounts made
available
to carry out this title, including any project for which the
Secretary has
issued a waiver under subsection (b), if the Secretary, in
consultation with
the United States Trade Representative, determines that the foreign
country is
in violation of the terms of an agreement with the United States by
discriminating against steel, iron, or manufactured goods that are
produced in
the United States and covered by the
agreement.
.
(b)
Review of
nationwide waivers
(1)
In
general
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act, and at least every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary of
Transportation
shall review each standing nationwide waiver issued under section 313 of
title
23, United States Code, to determine whether continuing such waiver is
necessary.
(2)
Public
notification of and opportunity for comment on review of standing
nationwide
waivers
In conducting a
review under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide notice of and an
opportunity for public comment on the review at least 30 days before
completing
the review.
(3)
Notice
requirement
A notice provided
under paragraph (2) shall be provided by electronic means, including on
the
official public Internet website of the Department of Transportation.
(4)
Detailed
justification in Federal Register
If the Secretary finds it is necessary to
continue a standing nationwide waiver after a review under paragraph (1),
the
Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a detailed justification
for
such waiver that addresses the public comments received under paragraph
(2).
(c)
Repeals
(1)
Waiver
notification and annual reports
Section 117 of the SAFETEA–LU Technical
Corrections Act of 2008 (23 U.S.C. 313 note) is repealed.
(2)
Notice and
public comments
Section 123
of title I of division A of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (23
U.S.C. 313 note) is repealed.
5.
Public
transportation Buy America provisions
(a)
In
general
Section 5323(j) of
title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
(j)
Buy
America
(1)
Domestic source
requirement for steel, iron, and manufactured goods
(A)
In
general
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and except as
provided in subparagraph (B), funds made available to carry out
this chapter
may not be obligated for a project unless the steel, iron, and
manufactured
goods used for the project are produced in the United States.
(B)
Special rules
for rolling stock
Funds made available to carry out this chapter
may not be obligated for the procurement of rolling stock
(including train
control, communication, traction power equipment, and rolling stock
prototypes)
unless—
(i) the cost of
components and subcomponents produced in the United States—
(I) for fiscal year
2015 is more than 60 percent of the cost of all components of the
rolling
stock;
(II) for fiscal year
2016 is more than 70 percent of the cost of all components of the
rolling
stock;
(III) for fiscal year
2017 is more than 80 percent of the cost of all components of the
rolling
stock;
(IV) for fiscal year
2018 is more than 90 percent of the cost of all components of the
rolling
stock; and
(V) for fiscal year
2019, and each fiscal year thereafter, is 100 percent of the cost
of all
components of the rolling stock; and
(ii) final assembly of
the rolling stock, including rolling stock prototypes, occurs in
the United
States.
(C)
Scope
The
requirements under this subsection shall apply to all contracts for
a public
transportation project carried out within the scope of the
applicable finding,
determination, or decision under the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), regardless of the funding source of such
contracts,
if at least one contract for the public transportation project is
funded with
amounts made available to carry out this chapter.
(2)
Exceptions
(A)
Issuance of
waivers
The Secretary may waive the requirements of paragraph (1)
only if the Secretary finds that—
(i) applying paragraph
(1) would be inconsistent with the public interest, as determined
in accordance
with the regulations issued under subparagraph (B);
(ii) the steel, iron,
or manufactured goods required for a project are not produced in
the United
States—
(I) in sufficient and
reasonably available quantities; and
(II) of a satisfactory
quality; or
(iii) the use of
steel, iron, and manufactured goods produced in the United States
for a project
will
increase the project schedule or total cost of
the
project by more than 25 percent.
(B)
Rulemaking
The Secretary shall issue regulations establishing the
criteria
that the Secretary shall use to determine whether the application
of paragraph
(1) is inconsistent with the public interest for purposes of
subparagraph
(A)(i).
(C)
Components of
rolling stock
If the
Secretary finds that a component of rolling stock is not produced
in the United
States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities or to a
satisfactory
quality, the Secretary may issue a waiver under subparagraph (A)
with respect
to such component.
(D)
Labor
costs
For purposes of this
subsection, labor costs involved in final assembly shall not be
included in
calculating the cost of components.
(E)
Requests for
waivers
A recipient of assistance under this chapter seeking a
waiver under subparagraph (A) shall submit to the Secretary a
request for the
waiver in such form and containing such information as the
Secretary may
require.
(3)
Waiver
requirements
(A)
Public
notification of and opportunity for comment on request for a waiver
(i)
In
general
If the Secretary receives a request for a waiver under
paragraph (2), the Secretary shall provide notice of and an
opportunity for
public comment on the request at least 30 days before making a
finding based on
the request.
(ii)
Notice
requirements
A notice provided under clause (i) shall—
(I) include the
information available to the Secretary concerning the request,
including
whether the request is being made under paragraph (2)(A)(i),
(2)(A)(ii), or
(2)(A)(iii); and
(II) be provided by
electronic means, including on the official public Internet website
of the
Department of Transportation.
(B)
Detailed
justification in Federal Register
If the Secretary issues a waiver under
paragraph (2), the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register
a detailed
justification for the waiver that—
(i) addresses the
public comments received under subparagraph (A)(i); and
(ii) is published
before the waiver takes effect.
(4)
State
requirements
The Secretary may not impose a limitation or
condition on assistance provided under this chapter that restricts—
(A) a State from
imposing requirements that are more stringent than those imposed
under this
subsection with respect to limiting the use of articles, materials,
or supplies
mined, produced, or manufactured in foreign countries for projects
carried out
with such assistance; or
(B) any recipient of
such assistance from complying with such State requirements.
(5)
Intentional
violations
Pursuant to procedures established under subpart 9.4
of chapter 1 of title 48, Code of Federal Regulations, a person
shall be
ineligible to receive a contract or subcontract funded with amounts
made
available to carry out this chapter or any other law providing
Federal public
transportation assistance if the Secretary, the head of any
department, agency,
or instrumentality of the United States, or a court determines that
such person
intentionally—
(A) affixed a label
bearing a Made in America inscription, or any inscription with
the same meaning, to any steel, iron, or manufactured goods that—
(i) were used in a
project to which this subsection applies; and
(ii) were not produced
in the United States; or
(B) represented that
any steel, iron, or manufactured goods were produced in the United
States
that—
(i) were used in a
project to which this subsection applies; and
(ii) were not produced
in the United States.
(6)
Consistency with
international agreements
(A)
In
general
This subsection shall be applied in a manner that is
consistent with United States obligations under international
agreements.
(B)
Treatment of
foreign countries in violation of international agreements
The
Secretary shall prohibit the use of steel, iron, and manufactured
goods
produced in a foreign country in a project funded with amounts made
available
to carry out this chapter or any other law providing Federal public
transportation assistance, including any project for which the
Secretary has
issued a waiver under paragraph (2), if the Secretary, in
consultation with the
United States Trade Representative, determines that the foreign
country is in
violation of the terms of an agreement with the United States by
discriminating
against steel, iron, or manufactured goods that are produced in the
United
States and covered by the agreement.
(7)
Opportunity to
correct inadvertent error
The Secretary may allow a manufacturer
or supplier of steel, iron, or manufactured goods to correct after
bid opening
an incomplete Buy America certificate or an incorrect certificate
of
noncompliance (but not a failure to sign a certificate, a
submission of both a
certificate of compliance and a certificate of noncompliance, or a
failure to
submit any certificate) under this subsection if such manufacturer
or supplier
attests under penalty of perjury that such manufacturer or supplier
submitted
an incomplete or incorrect certificate as a result of an
inadvertent or
clerical error. The burden of establishing inadvertent or clerical
error is on
the manufacturer or
supplier.
.
(b)
Review of
general public interest waivers
Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, and at least every 5 years thereafter, the
Secretary of
Transportation shall review the general public interest waivers described
in
subsection (b) of Appendix A of section 661.7 of title 49, Code of Federal
Regulations, to determine whether continuing such waivers is in the public
interest.
6.
Amtrak Buy
America provisions
(a)
In
general
Section 24305(f) of
title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
(f)
Buy
America
(1)
Domestic source
requirement for steel, iron, and manufactured goods
(A)
In
general
Notwithstanding any
other provision of law, amounts made available to Amtrak under
section 101(c) of
the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (division
B of Public Law 110–432; 122
Stat. 4908) may
not be used for a capital project (as defined in subparagraphs (A)
and (B) of
section 24401(2)) to bring the Northeast Corridor to a
state-of-good-repair or
for any other capital expense of Amtrak unless the steel, iron, and
manufactured goods used for the project or other capital expense
are produced
in the United States.
(B)
Scope
The requirements under this subsection shall apply
to all contracts for a project or other capital expense carried out
within the
scope of the applicable finding, determination, or decision under
the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.),
regardless of the
funding source of such contracts, if at least one contract with
respect to the
project or other capital expense is funded with amounts made
available under
section 101(c) of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act
of 2008
(122 Stat. 4908).
(C)
Special rules for rolling stock
Funds made available to carry out this chapter may not be obligated for the procurement of rolling
stock (including train control, communication, traction power equipment,
and rolling stock prototypes) unless—
(i) the cost of components and subcomponents produced in the United States—
(I) for fiscal year 2015 is more than 60 percent of the cost of all components of the rolling stock;
(II) for fiscal year 2016 is more than 70 percent of the cost of all components of the rolling stock;
(III) for fiscal year 2017 is more than 80 percent of the cost of all components of the rolling stock;
(IV) for fiscal year 2018 is more than 90 percent of the cost of all components of the rolling stock;
and
(V) for fiscal year 2019, and each fiscal year thereafter, is 100 percent of the cost of all components
of the rolling stock; and
(ii) final assembly of the rolling stock, including rolling stock prototypes, occurs in the United
States.
(2)
Exceptions
(A)
Issuance of
waivers
The Secretary of Transportation may waive the
requirements under paragraph (1) only if the Secretary determines
that—
(i) applying paragraph
(1) would be inconsistent with the public interest, as determined
in accordance
with the regulations issued under subparagraph (B);
(ii) the steel, iron,
or manufactured goods required for a project or other capital
expense are not
produced in the United States—
(I) in sufficient and
reasonably available quantities; and
(II) of a satisfactory
quality;
(iii) the use of
steel, iron, and manufactured goods produced in the United States
for a project
or other capital expense will increase the project schedule or
total cost of
the
project by more than 25 percent; or
(iv) the cost of articles, material, or supplies bought is not more than $1,000,000.
(B)
Rulemaking
The Secretary shall issue regulations establishing the
criteria
that the Secretary shall use to determine whether the application
of paragraph
(1) is inconsistent with the public interest for purposes of
subparagraph
(A)(i).
(C)
Components of
rolling stock
If the
Secretary finds that a component of rolling stock is not produced
in the United
States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities or to a
satisfactory
quality, the Secretary may issue a waiver under subparagraph (A)
with respect
to such component.
(D)
Labor
costs
For purposes of this paragraph, labor costs involved in
final assembly shall not be included in calculating the cost of
components.
(E)
Requests for
waivers
If Amtrak seeks a waiver under subparagraph (A), Amtrak
shall submit a request for the waiver to the Secretary in such form
and
containing such information as the Secretary may require.
(3)
Waiver
requirements
(A)
Public
notification of and opportunity for comment on request for a waiver
(i)
In
general
If the Secretary
receives a request for a waiver from Amtrak under paragraph (2),
the Secretary
shall provide notice of and an opportunity for public comment on
the request at
least 30 days before making a determination based on the request.
(ii)
Notice
requirements
A notice provided under clause (i)—
(I) shall include the
information available to the Secretary concerning the request,
including
whether the request is being made under clause (i), (ii), or (iii)
of paragraph (2)(A); and
(II) shall be provided by
electronic means, including on the official public Internet website
of the
Department of Transportation.
(B)
Detailed
justification in Federal Register
If the Secretary issues a waiver under
paragraph (2), the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register
a detailed
justification for the waiver that—
(i) addresses the
public comments received under subparagraph (A)(i); and
(ii) is published
before the waiver takes effect.
(4)
State
requirements
The Secretary may not impose a limitation or
condition on assistance provided with funds described in paragraph
(1)(A) that
restricts—
(A) a State from
imposing requirements that are more stringent than those imposed
under this
subsection with respect to limiting the use of articles, materials,
or supplies
mined, produced, or manufactured in foreign countries for capital
projects or
other capital expenses carried out with such assistance; or
(B) any recipient of
such assistance from complying with such State requirements.
(5)
Intentional
violations
Pursuant to
procedures established under subpart 9.4 of chapter 1 of title 48,
Code of
Federal Regulations, a person shall be ineligible to receive a
contract or
subcontract funded with funds described in paragraph (1)(A) if the
Secretary,
the head of any department, agency, or instrumentality of the
United States, or
a court determines that such person intentionally—
(A) affixed a label
bearing a Made in America inscription, or any inscription with
the same meaning, to any steel, iron, or manufactured goods that—
(i) were used in a
capital project or other capital expense to which this subsection
applies;
and
(ii) were not produced
in the United States; or
(B) represented that
any steel, iron, or manufactured goods were produced in the United
States
that—
(i) were used in a
capital project or other capital expense to which this subsection
applies;
and
(ii) were not produced
in the United States.
(6)
Consistency with
international agreements
(A)
In
general
This subsection shall be applied in a manner that is
consistent with United States obligations under international
agreements.
(B)
Treatment of
foreign countries in violation of international agreements
The Secretary shall prohibit the use of
steel, iron, and manufactured goods produced in a foreign country
in a capital
project or other capital expense funded with funds described in
paragraph
(1)(A), including any project or capital expense for which the
Secretary has
issued a waiver under paragraph (2), if the Secretary, in
consultation with the
United States Trade Representative, determines that the foreign
country is in
violation of the terms of an agreement with the United States by
discriminating
against steel, iron, or manufactured goods that are produced in the
United
States and covered by the
agreement.
.
(b)
Review of
nationwide waivers
Not later
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and at least every 5
years
thereafter, the Secretary of Transportation shall review each standing
nationwide waiver issued under section 24305(f) of title 49, United States
Code, to determine whether continuing such waiver is necessary.
7.
Aviation Buy
America provisions
(a)
Buy America
preferences
Chapter 501 of
title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking the chapter heading
and
inserting Buy
America.
(b)
Enhancements To
buy America requirements
Section 50101 of such title is amended
to read as follows:
50101.
Buy
America
(a)
Domestic source
requirement for steel, iron, and manufactured goods
(1)
In
general
Notwithstanding any
other provision of law, and except as provided in paragraph (2),
amounts made
available to carry out section 106(k), 44502(a)(2), or 44509,
subchapter I of
chapter 471 (except section 47127), or chapter 481 (except sections
48102(e),
48106, 48107, and 48110) of this title may not be obligated for a
project
unless the steel, iron, and manufactured goods used for the project
are
produced in the United States.
(2)
Special rules
for certain facilities and equipment
With respect to a project
for the procurement of a facility or equipment, funds made
available to carry
out the provisions specified in paragraph (1) may not be obligated
for the
project unless—
(A) the cost of
components and subcomponents produced in the United States—
(i) for fiscal year
2015 is more than 60 percent of the cost of all components of the
facility or
equipment;
(ii) for fiscal year
2016 is more than 70 percent of the cost of all components of the
facility or
equipment;
(iii) for fiscal year
2017 is more than 80 percent of the cost of all components of the
facility or
equipment;
(iv) for fiscal year
2018 is more than 90 percent of the cost of all components of the
facility or
equipment; and
(v) for fiscal year
2019, and each fiscal year thereafter, is 100 percent of the cost
of all
components of the facility or equipment; and
(B) final assembly of
the facility or equipment occurs in the United States.
(3)
Scope
The requirements under this section shall apply to
all contracts for a project carried out within the scope of the
applicable
finding, determination, or decision under the National
Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), regardless of the funding source
of such
contracts, if at least one contract for the project is funded with
amounts made
available to carry out a provision specified in paragraph (1).
(b)
Exceptions
(1)
Issuance of
waivers
The Secretary of
Transportation may waive the requirements of subsection (a) only if
the
Secretary determines that—
(A) applying subsection (a) would be
inconsistent with the public interest, as determined in accordance
with the
regulations issued under paragraph (2);
(B) the steel, iron, or manufactured goods
required for a project are not produced in the United States—
(i) in
sufficient and reasonably available quantities; and
(ii) of a satisfactory
quality; or
(C) the use of steel, iron, and manufactured
goods produced in the United States for a project will increase the
project schedule or total cost of
the
project by more than 25 percent.
(2)
Rulemaking
The Secretary shall issue regulations establishing the
criteria
that the Secretary shall use to determine whether the application
of subsection
(a) is inconsistent with the public interest for purposes of
paragraph
(1)(A).
(3)
Labor
costs
For purposes of this
section, labor costs involved in final assembly are not included in
calculating
the cost of components.
(4)
Requests for
waivers
An entity seeking a
waiver under paragraph (1) shall submit to the Secretary a request
for the
waiver in such form and containing such information as the
Secretary may
require.
(5)
Preference for
American-assembled facilities and equipment
In the procurement of a facility or
equipment subject to a waiver issued under paragraph (1), the
Secretary shall
give preference to a facility or equipment for which final assembly
occurred in
the United States.
(6)
Limitation on
waiver authority
In the
procurement of a facility or equipment, if the Secretary determines
that
a component
of the facility or equipment is not produced in the United States
in sufficient
and reasonably available quantities or to a satisfactory quality,
the Secretary
may issue a waiver under paragraph (1) with respect to such
component.
(c)
Waiver
requirements
(1)
Public
notification of and opportunity for comment on request for a waiver
(A)
In
general
If the Secretary receives a request for a waiver under
subsection (b), the Secretary shall provide notice of and an
opportunity for
public comment on the request at least 30 days before making a
determination based on
the request.
(B)
Notice
requirements
A notice provided under subparagraph (A)—
(i) shall include the
information available to the Secretary concerning the request,
including
whether the request is being made under subparagraph (A), (B), or
(C) of subsection (b)(1); and
(ii) shall be provided by
electronic means, including on the official public Internet website
of the
Department of Transportation.
(2)
Detailed
justification in Federal Register
If the Secretary issues a waiver under
subsection (b), the Secretary shall publish a detailed
justification for the waiver in the Federal Register that—
(A) addresses the
public comments received under paragraph (1)(A); and
(B) is published
before the waiver takes effect.
(d)
State
requirements
The Secretary may not impose a limitation or
condition on assistance provided with funds made available to carry
out a
provision specified in subsection (a)(1) that restricts—
(1) a State from
imposing requirements that are more stringent than those imposed
under this
section with respect to limiting the use of articles, materials, or
supplies
mined, produced, or manufactured in foreign countries for projects
carried out
with such assistance; or
(2) any recipient of
such assistance from complying with such State requirements.
(e)
Consistency with
international agreements
(1)
In
general
This section shall be applied in a manner that is
consistent with United States obligations under international
agreements.
(2)
Treatment of
foreign countries in violation of international agreements
The
Secretary shall prohibit the use of steel, iron, and manufactured
goods
produced in a foreign country in a project funded with funds made
available to
carry out a provision specified in subsection (a)(1), including any
project for
which the Secretary has issued a waiver under subsection (b), if
the Secretary,
in consultation with the United States Trade Representative,
determines that
the foreign country is in violation of the terms of an agreement
with the
United States by discriminating against steel, iron, or
manufactured goods that
are produced in the United States and covered by the
agreement.
.
(c)
Clerical
amendments
(1)
Subtitle
analysis
The analysis for
subtitle VII of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking the
item
relating to chapter 501 and inserting the following:
501.Buy
America50101
.
(2)
Chapter
analysis
The analysis for chapter 501 of title 49, United States
Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 50101 and
inserting
the following:
50101. Buy
America.
.
(d)
Prohibition on
contracting upon falsification of label
Section 50105 of such title is amended by
inserting steel, iron, or manufactured before
goods.
(e)
Review of
nationwide waivers
Not later
than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and at least
every 5
years
thereafter, the Secretary of Transportation shall review each standing
nationwide waiver issued under section 50101 of title 49, United States
Code,
to determine whether continuing such waiver is necessary.
8.
Department of
Transportation Buy America annual report
Section 308 of title 49, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following:
(f)
Buy
America
Not later than February 1 of each year beginning at least 1 year after
the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall
submit a report to Congress that—
(1) specifies each
project with respect to which the Secretary issued a waiver from a
Buy America
requirement during the preceding calendar year;
(2) identifies the country of origin and
product specifications for steel, iron, or manufactured goods
acquired pursuant
to each waiver from a Buy America requirement issued by the
Secretary during
the preceding calendar year;
(3) summarizes the
monetary value of contracts awarded pursuant to each such waiver;
(4) provides the justification for each such
waiver, including the specific law, treaty, or international
agreement under
which the waiver was granted;
(5) summarizes the
funds expended on—
(A) steel, iron, and manufactured goods
produced in the United States for projects with respect to which a
Buy America
requirement, under which the Secretary has waiver authority,
applied during the
preceding calendar year; and
(B) steel, iron, and manufactured goods
produced outside the United States for projects with respect to
which the
Secretary issued a waiver from a Buy America requirement during the
preceding
calendar year; and
(6) provides an employment impact analysis of
the cumulative effect of all waivers from a Buy America requirement
issued by
the Secretary during the preceding calendar year on manufacturing
employment in
the United
States.
.