Buy American Act of 1979
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Government Operations.
Buy American Act of 1979 - Establishes a preference for domestic goods in government procurement. Requires that domestic articles and materials be purchased for: (1) procurements by Federal agencies and procurements funded at least 50 percent by Federal funds; and (2) the construction of any public building or public work which is financed at least 50 percent by Federal funds. (Defines "domestic article" for purposes of this Act to be any article of which 75 percent of the delivered price is attributable to U.S. sources). Allows for exceptions to such preference if the domestic product can not be obtained in sufficient quantity or quality, or if the cost of such product is excessive. Extends the preference for domestic goods to subcontracts which form ten percent or more of the total delivered price of the procured product. Stipulates that the procurement preferences provided for in this Act shall not apply to the procurement of goods to be used outside the United States, or for purchases inconsistent with the public interest. Requires the Administrator of Federal Procurement Policy to issue regulations which state that the cost of domestic products is excessive if such cost exceeds the cost of similar foreign products plus a differential reflecting the economic benefits to the United States of purchasing domestic products. Requires a contractor supplying foreign products for government procurements to certify that he has written assurance from any foreign supplier that such foreign products are not being supplied at below their production cost, and that such foreign supplier is not in violation of United States antitrust laws. Provides that a contractor falsely certifying shall be barred from participating in any government procurements for three years. Prohibits awarding a Federal contract to a person whose bid includes the procurement of foreign products: (1) unless specified procedures are followed to enable a domestic product supplier to challenge such bid; and (2) if such person is found to have violated specified provisions of the Anti-dumping Act, the Tariff Act of 1930, or the Trade Act of 1974.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on March 6, 1979. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on March 6, 1979: Referred to House Committee on Government Operations.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
THOMAS LUKEN (D-OH) introduced it on March 6, 1979, and 11 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 10 Democrats, 1 Republican.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on March 6, 1979, 17355 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17355 days ago, on March 6, 1979.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers