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FEDERALhearing transcript

1972 Hearing on Proposed Amendments to the Buy American Act

Original title: Amendments to the Federal "Buy American Act": hearing before the Subcommittee on Public Buildings and Grounds of the Committee on Public Works, House of Representatives, Ninety-second Congress, second session, on H.R. 13283 and related bills to amend Title III of the Act of March 3, 1933, commonly referred to as the "Buy American Act," with respect to determining when the cost of certain articles, materials, or supplies is unreasonable; to define which articles, materials, and supplies have been mined, produced or manufactured in the United States; to make clear the right of any state to give preference to domestically produced goods in purchasing for public use, and for other purposes, July 18, 1972.

July 19, 2026

Buy American ActFederal ProcurementDomestic ManufacturingTrade PolicyPublic Works

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The Frame

What this does

The hearing addresses the legal framework governing how federal and state agencies prioritize domestic versus foreign products in public construction and supply contracts, directly impacting procurement costs and domestic manufacturing requirements.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Domestic Manufacturers

The proposed definitions for 'mined, produced, or manufactured' in the U.S. directly impact which products qualify for procurement preferences.

State Governments

The bill clarifies their legal authority to implement domestic preference policies in their own public purchasing contracts.

What changed

Last recorded activity July 19, 2026.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This document is a transcript record of a 1972 Congressional hearing regarding proposed updates to the 1933 Buy American Act. The hearing focused on clarifying how to determine if the cost of foreign goods is 'unreasonable,' defining domestic production standards, and confirming the legal authority of states to prioritize U.S.-made goods in public purchasing.

Key Facts

  • The hearing concerns H.R. 13283 and related bills to amend Title III of the Act of March 3, 1933.
  • The proposed amendments seek to clarify the criteria for determining when the cost of foreign-sourced articles, materials, or supplies is considered 'unreasonable'.
  • The legislation aims to establish a formal definition for what constitutes an article, material, or supply that has been 'mined, produced, or manufactured' in the United States.
  • The bill intends to explicitly affirm the legal right of individual states to grant preference to domestically produced goods for public use projects.
  • The hearing took place during the second session of the 92nd Congress.

Why It Matters

The hearing addresses the legal framework governing how federal and state agencies prioritize domestic versus foreign products in public construction and supply contracts, directly impacting procurement costs and domestic manufacturing requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the Buy American Act amendments?
The amendments aim to clarify how 'unreasonable' costs for foreign goods are calculated, define domestic production standards, and protect the right of states to favor U.S.-made products.
Does this bill affect state-level purchasing?
Yes, one of the stated goals of the legislation is to make clear the right of any state to give preference to domestically produced goods in purchasing for public use.

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Clarification of State Authority

The hearing highlights a specific effort in 1972 to codify the right of states to enact their own domestic preference laws, separate from federal mandates.

Buy American Act

Connected Entities

organizationCommittee on Public Works“The parent committee overseeing the subcommittee.”Map →
organizationSubcommittee on Public Buildings and Grounds“The congressional body conducting the hearing.”Map →
otherBuy American Act“The 1933 legislation being amended.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz5
    Current news / social attention level

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