M Mushfiqul Fazal from Washington
The US President Donald J. Trump is fulfilling his promise to “Buy American,” supporting American businesses and workers.
He signed an executive order on strengthening Buy-American preferences for infrastructure projects. This order will strengthen Buy-American preferences for Federal financial assistance for infrastructure projects.
This action follows Trump’s Executive Order 13788 of 2017 that required a more judicious use of waivers to purchase foreign-made goods under Buy-American programs.
In 2018, waivers on Federal contracts declined by 16% Government-wide. Government spending on foreign goods has fallen to its lowest point in 10 years thanks to President Trump’s efforts.
Government spending on United States-made products has increased by $24 billion during the first two years of the Administration over the previous two-year average.
Buy American programs create good paying jobs that help lift more workers into prosperity. Buying American strengthens our manufacturing and defense industrial base, including pillar industries like steel and aluminum that are vital to national security.
Manufacturing boom
American manufacturers are more optimistic than ever and hiring has skyrocketed thanks to the President’s policies. President Trump’s deregulation policies, tax cuts, and tough trade actions have resulted in a resurgence in the American manufacturing industry.
The President’s policies are working, with manufacturer optimism reaching an all-time high. Since President Trump’s election 503,000 manufacturing jobs have been created, compared to 78,000 in the last two years of the Obama Administration.
In 2018, manufacturing added more jobs than any year since 1997. An average of 20,000 manufacturing jobs have been created per month since President Trump’s election, compared to 8,000 per month in the previous four years.
The unemployment rate for the manufacturing sector stands at 2.8 percent and reached a record low of 2.6 percent last year. Wage growth among the lowest wage earners is outpacing median wage growth.
Investing in manufacturing workers
President Trump is investing in workforce development that will help prepare American workers to join our thriving manufacturing sector.
He signed the reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, which provides career-focused training and education to students and workers. The Act will benefit nearly 12 million Americans and authorizes more than $1 billion in funds for States each year.
Trump established the National Council for the American Worker to raise awareness about the skills gap, expand apprenticeships, and encourage investment in worker education.
More than 180 companies have pledged to provide training opportunities to workers and students thanks to the Administration’s “Pledge to America’s Workers.” More than 6.4 million training opportunities have been pledged so far.
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