Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today urged the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to require American made steel be used for military vehicles. This change would boost domestic steel production and bring jobs to upstate New York.
“In these tough economic times, it is critical that the federal government does everything it can to encourage manufacturing in the U.S.,” Senator Gillibrand said. “I want to see ‘Made in America’ again. This requirement would not only ensure that our men and women in uniform are protected with the best equipment, but it preserves manufacturing jobs right here in upstate New York.”
Senator Gillibrand’s letter to DOD calls for a review of definition of “produced” as it relates to specialty metals. Current language on armor plate steel – a critical protective element for troops in warzones – considers steel melted outside of the U.S. to be “domestic” and compliant with the Specialty Metals Amendment. Senator Gillibrand is pushing for new language that would require that armor steel plate be melted in the U.S. and would ensure that federal procurement regulations favor domestic sources of steel.
The “Made and Manufactured” armor requirement would positively impact steel manufacturing plants across the nation including several in Upstate New York. Buffalo Armory, a subsidiary of Klein Steel Service, Inc, is adding two new lines which would bring in close to 50 new employees. The Nucor Corporation, which employs over 500 people between Auburn and Chemung, also stands to benefit from the requirement.
This letter is Senator Gillibrand’s latest effort in her long-standing commitment to U.S. manufacturing. Senator Gillibrand authored legislation that would create the Made in America block grant program, and she works continually to cut costs and incentivize private investment in domestic manufacturing.