Lawmaker predicts defeat for 'Buy American' language (Defense Department procurement update)

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[chance33_98]

Lawmaker predicts defeat for 'Buy American' language

By William New, National Journal's Technology Daily

A provision that would limit Defense Department procurement to U.S. companies will be defeated during House-Senate negotiations over the Defense appropriations bill for fiscal 2004, a House lawmaker said on Wednesday.

"We're not going to stop our cooperation with our allies," Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., told an audience of government officials and defense technology contractors. "We will back off."

Weldon praised the sponsor of the so-called Buy American Act, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., but said curtailing cooperation with tech companies in allied countries would negatively impact the U.S. military.

Weldon said the best solution to the United States' security problems is to significantly increase funding but noted that budget deficits make that difficult. Therefore, he said, the military has to "work smarter" and buy more off-the-shelf technology.

Weldon also said some of the best innovations are the work of small companies and entrepreneurs. He pointed to a provision in the Defense appropriations bill that creates a new initiative designed for entrepreneurs and small businesses. That would complement the continuation of several existing government programs to help small businesses, he said.

Weldon challenged the companies in the room to give the government their ideas and proposed solutions to security problems. He said that companies could e-mail him directly and that he personally reads every e-mail he gets. "You're the future of our security," he said.

Norman Neureiter, science and technology adviser to the secretary of State, highlighted the importance of science and technology to national security because it can be applied to intelligence, diplomacy and war-fighting.

Neureiter, who leaves office Sept. 18 to be replaced by University of Arizona professor George Atkinson, said the "new world order" envisioned in the early 1990s has not materialized.

"Let me tell you folks, we don't have a new world order," he said. "We have a world of inordinate disorder."

Atkinson just returned from a meeting with Pakistani leader Pervez Musharraf, who told him that science and technology must be foundations of economic development and stability in that country.

[goldstategop]

Curt Weldon thinks there's something unpatriotic about requiring the Defense Department to buy American?? Silly me here I was thinking Republicans were gung ho on the Flag, apple pie, and country.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

If we buy our arms from the Chinese, we could have them bring along extra stuff for us when they invade.

Good idea, huh?

No wonder these guys are in charge.

[harpseal]

If we buy our arms from the Chinese, we could have them bring along extra stuff for us when they invade.

We could outsource the labor for the military to China too then there would be minimum violence in the invasion and only the pesky slaves who had kept their arms would be a problem.

[JustAnAmerican]

Any POS politician that votes against the "Buy American" language needs to be run out of town.

[goldstategop]

And tarred and feathered for good measure.

[EagleMamaMT]

The voters in Rep. Weldon's district need to show him the door. American defense contracts should go to American companies. Most especially not the Chinese!

[harpseal]

Rep. Weldon is merely toeing the party line on this one. Supposedly the Republican Party line but one could say as well teh Democratic Party Line or the Communist Party Line.

[RaceBannon]

This country is long past doomed.

When our legislators worry more about ally's economies than their own country's, it is a sign that it is past time to fix the problem, especialy when it is a respected congress-critter speaking these inanities.

[LibertyAndJusticeForAll]

You are right, and Weldon sounds like a weasel. But, I found one bright bit that should whet somebody's curiosity. I would encourage all unemployed engineers with any entrepreneurial interest to look into this provision:

"Weldon also said some of the best innovations are the work of small companies and entrepreneurs. He pointed to a provision in the Defense appropriations bill that creates a new initiative designed for entrepreneurs and small businesses. That would complement the continuation of several existing government programs to help small businesses, he said."

[Valin]

A provision that would limit Defense Department procurement to U.S. companies will be defeated during House-Senate negotiations over the Defense appropriations bill for fiscal 2004, a House lawmaker said on Wednesday.

"We're not going to stop our cooperation with our allies," Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., told an audience of government officials and defense technology contractors. "We will back off."


A couple of thoughs/questions.
1 Define allies? PRC? I don't think so. Israel or Britian, yes.
2 Question, would this bill require the Dod to only buy from an American Co.? Say (for example) a German co. produces a camera with better optics at a cheaper price (or for that matter the same or higher price) than an American co., should the DoD still be required to buy the American product?
3 What if an American co. has an oversea's subsidiary that manufactures an item in question. Is this still buying American?
4 What if the reverse of # 3 is true? Same question.
5 What if one component of a weapons system is manufactured outside America (example a prefilter for an Apache one step done in say Mexico) by an American co.? Would this violate this law?