Garamendi Secures Key Provisions in the America COMPETES Act

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) applauded the passage in the U.S. House of Representatives of four key pieces of legislation he authored that were included as amendments to the “America COMPETES Act.”

The “America COMPETES Act” is a bold and transformative legislative package to strengthen U.S. supply chains and American manufacturing, advance U.S. scientific excellence and research, and position American interest and values to win on the world stage. The legislation also supports Garamendi’s 12-year effort to advance “Make it in America” and “Buy American” policies that expand America’s manufacturing sector and rebuild our crumbling infrastructure using American materials and workers.

This package will ensure that America can outcompete any nation in the world, now and for decades to come. The legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives today and will now be conferenced with the U.S. Senate.

Garamendi added four key amendments to the legislation that will strengthen America’s economy and competitiveness at home and abroad. Those amendments are highlighted below:

• Garamendi #89: Inserts H.R.4996, the “Ocean Shipping Reform Act,” to the legislation. This bipartisan bill from Garamendi and Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) addresses trade imbalances the U.S. has with China and other nations, ensures a more competitive global shipping industry, and tackles the supply chain crisis that is negatively impacting the American economy. This legislation was passed in the House as a standalone bill on December 8, 2021. Today, Garamendi added it to the “America COMPETES Act” to give the legislation another path to become law.
• Costa #49 (Garamendi co-sponsored): This amendment requires a report that reviews the involvement of the People's Republic of China (PRC), state-sponsored companies, and companies incorporated in the PRC in the ownership, operation, or otherwise involvement in mining or processing facilities in countries from which the United States imports minerals, metals, and materials, and evaluating the strategic and national security implications for the United States of such involvement.
• Garamendi #90: Inserts Garamendi’s “Special Immigrant Visas for Afghan Fulbright Scholars Act of 2021," into the “America COMPETES Act.” This legislation provides Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) for those Fulbright Scholars currently studying at American universities and former scholars who returned to Afghanistan. It also provides SIVs for their legal spouses/dependents as well as for Afghans who participated in other State Department-sponsored exchange programs.
• Garamendi #91: Adds the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, People's Republic of China, Russian Federation, and the Islamic Republic of Iran to the list of prohibited “countries of concern” for the loans and loan guarantees under the proposed Critical Supply Chain Resilient Program. Sensitive materials sourced from these same non-allied foreign nations are excluded from Department of Defense procurement.

“I’m incredibly pleased that my legislation has been added to the ‘America COMPETES Act,’ Garamendi said. This legislation has an excellent chance at becoming law and providing the much-needed support to ensure America remains the preeminent manufacturing and economic superpower of the world. I will work tirelessly to ensure this legislation becomes law to support American workers, the economy, and our global competitiveness,” Garamendi concluded.