American Steel First Act of 2008

To require certain Federal agencies to use iron and steel produced in the United States in carrying out projects for the construction, alteration, or repair of a public building or public work, and for other purposes.

4/30/2008--Introduced.
American Steel First Act of 2008 - Prohibits heads of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Transportation (DOT) from obligating or expending funds or providing financial assistance for projects for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public building or public work unless all of the iron and steel used in such project is produced in the United States.
Waives such prohibition in cases where:
(1) the prohibition would be inconsistent with the public interest;
(2) iron and steel are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities of a satisfactory quality; or
(3) inclusion of iron and steel produced in the United States will increase the cost of the overall project contract by more than 25%. Prohibits waivers by a department head for products produced in a foreign country that is determined by the U.S. Trade Representative to have violated the terms of an agreement with the United States by discriminating against products covered by the agreement that are produced in the United States.
Prohibits such department heads from imposing financial assistance restrictions on:
(1) states that impose more stringent requirements on the use of iron and steel in foreign countries in projects carried out with such assistance; or
(2) recipients that comply with such state imposed requirements.
Makes any person who intentionally labels or represents a product used in a project under this Act as "Made in America" when it is not ineligible for another department contract from for six years.
Requires the Secretary of Transportation to:
(1) publish a justification for a waiver of the prohibition against obligating funds to carry out the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, highway projects, public transportation projects, or aviation programs unless the steel, iron, and manufactured products used are produced in the United States; and
(2) provide for public notice and comment for such waiver.


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Sponsor

• Rep. Peter Visclosky [D, IN-1]
• and 33 Co-Sponsors
  • Rep. Neil Abercrombie [D, HI-1]
  • Rep. Jason Altmire [D, PA-4]
  • Rep. Joe Baca [D, CA-43]
  • Rep. Brian Baird [D, WA-3]
  • Rep. Robert Berry [D, AR-1]
  • Rep. Robert Brady [D, PA-1]
  • Rep. Shelley Capito [R, WV-2]
  • Rep. Christopher Carney [D, PA-10]
  • Rep. André Carson [D, IN-7]
  • Rep. Jerry Costello [D, IL-12]
  • Rep. Elijah Cummings [D, MD-7]
  • Rep. Danny Davis [D, IL-7]
  • Rep. Philip English [R, PA-3]
  • Rep. Jeffrey Fortenberry [R, NE-1]
  • Rep. Tim Holden [D, PA-17]
  • Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D, TX-18]
  • Rep. Walter Jones [R, NC-3]
  • Rep. Marcy Kaptur [D, OH-9]
  • Rep. Dale Kildee [D, MI-5]
  • Rep. James McGovern [D, MA-3]
  • Rep. Michael Michaud [D, ME-2]
  • Rep. John Murtha [D, PA-12]
  • Rep. Sue Myrick [R, NC-9]
  • Rep. James Oberstar [D, MN-8]
  • Rep. Ralph Regula [R, OH-16]
  • Rep. Timothy Ryan [D, OH-17]
  • Rep. John Salazar [D, CO-3]
  • Rep. Mark Souder [R, IN-3]
  • Rep. Zackary Space [D, OH-18]
  • Rep. Bart Stupak [D, MI-1]
  • Rep. Betty Sutton [D, OH-13]
  • Rep. Charles Wilson [D, OH-6]
  • Rep. Addison Wilson [R, SC-2]
  close

Committees

• House Transportation and Infrastructure
• 4 more
  • House Homeland Security
  • House Armed Services
  • House Transportation and Infrastructure
  • House Homeland Security
  close

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to H.R.5935

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by House		Voted on by Senate		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
April 30, 2008

Show All Actions (10 actions)Hide Actions

All Bill Actions

• Added to calendar on Jun 26, 2008: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote..
• Jun 26, 2008: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
• Jun 26, 2008: Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, and Oversight Discharged.
• Jun 02, 2008: Referred to the Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, and Oversight.
• May 02, 2008: Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
• Apr 30, 2008: Referred to House Armed Services
• Apr 30, 2008: Referred to House Homeland Security
• Apr 30, 2008: Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure
• Apr 30, 2008: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• Introduced on Apr 30, 2008.

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Blog Coverage

July 04, 2008 Bills introduced to enhance preparedness

... specifications for the certification of advanced spectroscopic portals (HR 5531), would enable DHS to buy property (HR 5743), and would require some federal agencies to use American steel when repairing US infrastructure (HR 5935).

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Source: Project Disaster

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July 01, 2008 Homeland Security Committee Approves Congressman’s American Steel ...

On June 26, the US House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security approved HR 5935, Congressman Pete Visclosky’s American Steel First Act. The Committee’s approval is a step toward consideration of the bill in the whole House. ...

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Source: Import Industry News

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June 27, 2008 A Good Vote

Yesterday, the House Homeland Security Committee voted unanimously to approved HR 5935, a bill requiring certain federal agencies to use American-made steel for public works projects. Sponsored by Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN), ...

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Source: Manufacture This

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