Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly (D-IN), with the support of Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), announced the introduction of the End Outsourcing Act. Donnelly recently outlined the End Outsourcing Act at a press conference in Indianapolis where he was joined by workers from Carrier, Rexnord, and UTEC who are losing their jobs due to outsourcing.
Donnelly said, “We need to change our federal policies to stop the outsourcing of American jobs. Right now, hundreds of Hoosiers are on the verge of having their lives upended because their companies are moving jobs to Mexico. It is time to restore the basic promise of America: if you work hard and help your company succeed, in return you will earn a decent living and be able to take care of your family. This legislation would encourage businesses to invest in workers and communities here in America and penalize those that ship Hoosier and American jobs to foreign countries.”
Brown said, “Companies that outsource jobs shouldn’t be subsidized by U.S. taxpayers and allowed to do business with the U.S. government. We should encourage businesses to invest here and make sure tax-payer funded contracts are awarded to companies that employ American workers.”
Gillibrand said, “We shouldn’t reward companies for shipping jobs overseas. We’ve seen too many good-paying jobs leave New York State because companies were allowed to pack up and leave without any consequences for them, but with enormous consequences for our communities. Congress has a responsibility to pass laws that help workers, and I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.”
The legislation announced today is based on the following three key principles:
- Federal contracts, funded by taxpayers, should go to companies that employ American workers. This legislation would ensure that federal contracting policy takes into consideration whether companies have outsourced domestic jobs.
- Companies that ship jobs to foreign countries should forfeit tax breaks and incentives. This legislation would claw back incentives and prohibit companies from receiving tax breaks for outsourcing jobs and factories.
- Federal policies should encourage businesses to invest in American communities. This legislation would create tax incentives for companies that relocate foreign jobs to rural and impoverished communities in the United States.
The legislation is supported by the AFL-CIO, CWA, UAW, and USW.
