Trump executive order to boost 'Buy American, Hire American' plan coming: report

[nitpicker]

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/329216-trumps-new-executive-order-buy-american-hire-american-report

Trump executive order to boost 'Buy American, Hire American' plan coming: report

By Olivia Beavers - 04/17/17 10:09 PM EDT

President Trump reportedly plans to sign an executive order Tuesday riding on the slogan "Buy American and Hire American,” which aims to emphasize his administration’s promise to support domestic products and bring jobs back to the U.S. Trump will likely sign the order while visiting the Snap-on tool company in Kenosha, Wis., NPR reports.
(snip)

The "Buy American" provision of the order will reinforce a stricter adherence to laws that require the federal government to purchase American-made products whenever possible. White House officials have reportedly complained that such laws have been circumvented over the years with government waivers. The "Buy American" part could also include changes to the U.S.’s free trade agreements, although the White House is likely still reviewing possible adjustments to its trade agreements.

The "Hire American" part targets government guest-worker programs, particularly the H-1B visa program. The order will crack down on “abuses” in such programs. At a background briefing with reporters, senior administration officials described the current H1-B visa program as a lottery system that indiscriminately hands out work visas to contracting firms that recruit low-skilled, low-wage workers to replace working-class domestic laborers. They say a new system is needed to ensure that the program returns to its original purpose of bringing in high-skilled, high-paid workers to fill more specialized or technical roles.

Tuesday’s executive order won’t make immediate changes to the system, but will direct the Labor, Justice, Homeland Security and State departments to undertake a wholesale review of the H1-B visa program and to put forth recommendations that can be achieved administratively or through legislation. That could mean adjusting the wage scale the government uses to assess applicants, giving preference to workers with advanced degrees, or taking “a more vigorous stance” in enforcing violations of the program in an effort to root out fraud and abuse.
(snip)

[woodsprite]

1. With the exception of his own family and rich-bitch buddies. n/t

[Lee-Lee]

2. I wonder how this will affect the GSA's Hybrid and EV fleet

The majority of both are not US made.

Most Federal Government hybrids I see on a daily basis now are Hyundai Sonatas.

Will we take a step backwards on being green for the sake of nationalism?

[HAB911]

3. Trumps Made in America Slogan Doesnt Fit Ivankas Clothing Line

Since Election Day, the apparel brand run by Trump's daughter has imported 56 shipments of Ivanka Trump products from China and Singapore, part of a total of 215 shipments from Asia since Jan. 1, 2016.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trumps-made-america-slogan-doesnt-fit-ivankas-clothing-line-n743056

[NYETNYET]

4. WHOA...

I heard this buy American tour as I walked out my front door. The last thing I heard was 'Snap-On'. I work at a dealership. 2008-09 the techs started talking about some Snap-On tools being made in China. I did a quick check online and found a site that said there were 849 tools made in China or in Asia. Unfortunately he'll be smirking into a camera before I have a chance to look farther.

[TBA]

5. Don't we already do this?

Doesn't a similar executive order or orders exist?

[OldHippieChick]

6. Probably, but Trump wants to

look bigly and be on top of the news every day.

[Lee-Lee]

7. It's complicated but yes to a degree

Federal procurement laws and regulations are a tangled mix of laws, regulations and executive orders.

One of the most well known is the Berry Amendment mandating defense purchases be made in the US or in some cases allied nations.

That said there are a lot of exemptions on non-military procurement. The Federal LE I work with on a daily basis wear a common brand of tactical pants and shirts that are made overseas as one example. Or the GSA fleet vehicles being made by Hyundai that I mentioned above. Typically this is a result of there being no competitive US made product but not always.

I'm not sure how they can push it any further than it is now without either accepting products that don't meet the need as well or being willing to pay substantially more for the products.

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Will the 'Hire American' part eliminate all those 1-HB jobs at

Mar-a-Lago?

[jehop61]

9. Does this mean

he'll fire all those H-1B workers at his various clubs and at Trump winery? Will believe it when I see it. He's a hypocrite, you know