America FIRST
Rebuild domestic manufacturing with union labor and end trade policy that offshores American jobs.
Why this matters.
Economic Policy Institute estimates roughly 5 million U.S. manufacturing jobs lost between 1997 and 2020, with a substantial share attributable to trade imbalances and policy choices. Reorienting federal procurement, infrastructure spending, and tax incentives toward domestic union production has documented multiplier effects on local wages and tax bases. 'America First' here means workers, not nativism: a labor-centered industrial policy.
Non-partisan in application.
Existing law already provides the tools: the Buy American Act of 1933 (41 U.S.C. §§ 8301–8305), the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. §§ 3141–3148), and the Berry Amendment (10 U.S.C. § 4862). Strict, audited enforcement of domestic-content and prevailing-wage rules in all federally funded contracts is a non-partisan administrative standard.
Measurable outcomes. Hard deadlines.
Raising domestic-content requirements to 75% in federal procurement is projected to create 300,000 direct manufacturing jobs and 600,000 indirect jobs over five years. Wage gains from Davis-Bacon enforcement add an estimated $8–$12 per hour for construction workers on federally funded projects. The Tracker monitors co-sponsorship of domestic-content bills and votes against trade agreements that lack enforceable labor standards.
The Accountability Tracker scores votes on trade agreements, domestic-content thresholds, and Davis-Bacon prevailing-wage enforcement. It also tracks sign-on letters demanding GAO audits of federal procurement. A qualifying candidate must vote against every trade deal without enforceable labor chapters and co-sponsor Buy American strengthening bills.
Introduce legislation raising federal domestic-content thresholds to 75% and closing waiver loopholes in the Buy American Act.
Secure committee passage and administration commitment to issue strict domestic-content guidance on IIJA and IRA spending.
Enact statutory changes; publish quarterly GAO audits of federal contracting compliance; measure net manufacturing-job growth by BLS data.
Restore 2 million union manufacturing jobs; establish permanent domestic-content floors in all federal spending.