WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is urging the federal government to partner with Pennsylvania small businesses in an effort to ensure that the federal government is not only focused on ‘Buy America,’ but ‘Buy Pennsylvania’ as well.
Federal agencies are engaged in a government-wide effort to ensure that the products they purchase are made in America. Senator Casey sent a letter last week urging the federal agency running the program to partner with the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry to identify Pennsylvania small businesses that the federal government can buy goods from. The initiative would be a boon for Pennsylvania’s small businesses and could lead to major job creation across the state.
“The federal government makes purchases every day, so when they pull out the credit card it should benefit a Pennsylvania business, not one in China,” Senator Casey said. “Pennsylvania’s small businesses and workers are some of the best in the world, and by ‘buying Pennsylvania’ the federal government will get a first-rate product and support good paying American jobs.”
“We welcome the opportunity to work with the federal government to identify viable business partners in order to help foster new opportunities for the Commonwealth’s small businesses and workers, and appreciate Senator Casey’s efforts to encourage the government to ‘buy Pennsylvania,'” said Gene Barr, President of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) works with small and mid-sized U.S. manufacturers to help them create and retain jobs, increase profits, and save time and money. The nationwide network provides a variety of services, from innovation strategies to process improvements to green manufacturing. In recent years the program has initiated a ‘Buy America’ effort. Formerly known as the Supplier Scouting Program, the initiative’s purpose is to help federal agencies procure products and services from American businesses.
In his letter to Dr. Patrick Gallagher, head of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Senator Casey urged the agency to form a new partnership with the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry that would identify Pennsylvania small businesses that the federal government could procure goods from.
Buying goods from Pennsylvania will boost the manufacturing industry, which has seen heavy job losses over the past ten years.
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