WASHINGTON —U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) today announced they reintroduced the American Jobs Matter Act - major federal legislation to protect and grow defense manufacturing jobs in the United States. The bill - which Murphy originally introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives - will require the Department of Defense, for the first time, to measure domestic employment as a factor in rewarding a contract. American manufacturing firms will be able to leverage their contribution to the U.S. economy to win federal contracts by demonstrating how many jobs they will create or retain with the award of a contract.

In the last five years, the Department of Defense has spent over $700 billion dollars on manufactured goods. An alarming portion of that spending—over $150 billion since the Department of Defense began to comprehensively keep track—was spent on goods manufactured by foreign workers. During the same period, the United States lost 1.7 million manufacturing jobs.

“Too many manufacturing jobs in Connecticut have been lost to foreign firms because the Department of Defense doesn’t give preference to American manufacturers when awarding defense contracts. That needs to change,” said Murphy. “By requiring the Department of Defense to consider domestic employment as a factor when awarding a contract, the American Jobs Matter Act will give Connecticut’s defense manufacturers a leg up against foreign competition. I’m proud to reintroduce this bill today and look forward to building support for it in the months ahead."

“As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I will fight to require the Department of Defense to buy American-made parts and components, as well as final products,” said Blumenthal. “There is simply no reason – or excuse – to fund jobs abroad when American workers can make superior products here at home. American dollars should be support American jobs and American businesses. Around Connecticut and across the country, American defense manufacturing workers possess exceptional expertise in producing the highest quality equipment necessary to ensure our national security and the safety of our men and women in uniform.”

“American taxpayer dollars should be spent supporting the American economy,” Brown said. “Whether purchasing American flags, shoes for our service members, or awarding procurement contracts – the Federal government’s buying powering can help strengthen U.S. manufacturing and benefit local economies. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this commonsense legislation that creates jobs, bolsters domestic manufacturing, and ensures the highest quality return on investment for taxpayers.”