FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
CONTACT: press@iowademocrats.org
Hinson Tries to Hide from Vote to Strip Buy America Provisions at the Expense of Working Iowans
Ashley Hinson’s plan to “hold China accountable” is a desperate attempt to distract from her record of voting against Buy America requirements
DES MOINES — State Rep. Ashley Hinson’s damage control attempt around her disastrous voting record has taken another turn. In a plan released today to “hold China accountable” for the COVID-19 pandemic, Hinson suggests expanding the same type of Buy America requirements that she voted against in 2017.
Hinson’s vote created a loophole for local construction projects to avoid existing federal Buy America provisions and fair-wage requirements at the expense of working Iowans and small U.S. manufacturers.
The 2017 bill allowed the state to dodge Buy America provisions and undercut local workers by “fund-swapping” federal dollars intended for local infrastructure projects with state dollars that do not carry the same purchasing and labor protections.
While Hinson is attempting to mislead voters and rewrite her disastrous record, Congresswoman Finkenauer has been a champion for Iowa’s workforce and Buy America in Congress.
Finkenauer’s Stop Swaps, Protect Local Jobs Act prevents local governments from taking advantage of the “fund-swapping” made possible by Hinson’s vote. The bill to protect Iowa’s high-skilled workers is part of the Moving Forward Act, the House’s signature infrastructure package.
“While Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer is fighting against closing loopholes that let construction projects use Chinese-made materials and leave working Iowans behind, Ashley Hinson is desperately trying to backtrack on her vote that created the loopholes in the first place,” said IDP Communications Director Mandy McClure. “Iowans deserve honest leaders who prioritize local workers and high-quality American manufacturers.”