How Will Buy American Provisions Affect Canadian Interests In The United States?
As Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI) members are aware, last month, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that requires federal agencies and departments to encourage recipients of new federal financial infrastructure funding to use iron, aluminum, steel, cement, and other manufactured products produced in the United States in every contract, subcontract, purchase order, or sub award.
While MSCI does not take a position on these type of provisions, we wanted to highlight an analysis by Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) that says the new policy will negatively affect Canadian business interests in the United States. CME notes previous Buy American policies have resulted in a chill for Canadian suppliers and has effectively shut them out of the U.S. government procurement market.
CME plans to collect and transmit to the government specific concerns of manufacturers with this latest round of Buy American policies. Please send your concerns and examples to Matthew Poirier, CME Director of Trade Policy.