As corporate lobbyists descend on the Senate Commerce Committee looking to kill Obama's promised Buy America provisions in the stimulus and preserve taxpayer subsidies for outsourcing, their magic may have run out. Here's the Financial Times:
Since the Senate likes to think of itself as more adult and measured than the House of Representatives, opponents of the controversial "Buy America" provisions in the stimulus bill are looking to the upper house to help them out...
But if anything, the Senate is going further than the House. Last week, the Senate put stronger home procurement rules into the bill, requiring not just iron and steel, but all manufactured goods where possible to be bought from US producers.
As Businessweek has reported, without measures to make sure as much stimulus money as possible stays in the United States, there could be "leakage" (ie. money leaving the country) effectively undermining the necessary multiplier effect of the government cash. It seems the Senate - at least initially - understands this truism.
But, as reported earlier, the lobbying campaign is now set to descend on the Senate Commerce Committee. So check the committee's membership, and call your senator to tell him/her to support Buy America provisions. You can also call the Commerce Committee's main number at 202-224-0411.
STATE BLOGS
As corporate lobbyists descend on the Senate Commerce Committee looking to kill Obama's promised Buy America provisions in the stimulus and preserve taxpayer subsidies for outsourcing, their magic may have run out. Here's the 
