‘Buy American’ policies strengthen nation’s defense, workforce

As the leader of our nation’s largest U.S. aerospace and defense labor union , the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, I will always be dedicated to the principles that are the bedrock of our country’s strength: high-quality U.S. jobs, a robust national defense and a thriving domestic defense-industrial base. These principles are the essence of our mission to safeguard and empower the American workforce.

Our defense programs fortify national security, drive technological innovation and stimulate local economies. Through these programs, we have cultivated a network of highly skilled workers, engineers and support staff who contribute to creating cutting-edge defense equipment that is second to none. These dedicated men and women exemplify the spirit of American manufacturing, producing technology that keeps our military personnel safe and our nation secure.

We recently released a report with a path forward toward a more resilient aerospace and defense industry. One of the central recommendations was to substantially reinforce “Buy American” requirements to ensure that American tax dollars are not only reinvested in the American economy but also prioritize union workers in the federal procurement process.

We recently achieved a significant milestone in our pursuit of these values by urging members of Congress to support initiatives aimed at strengthening domestic content requirements for major defense programs. This rallying call, led by Rep. Donald Norcross, D-N.J., has garnered widespread bipartisan support.

The core of our nation’s defense and economic vitality hinges on our Buy American policy, which embodies our deepest values.

For decades, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, or IAM, has tirelessly worked to reinforce domestic content requirements, ensuring that American manufacturing assumes a central role in confronting our nation’s challenges. This endeavor is not just about bolstering the domestic defense-industrial base; it’s about creating and sustaining hundreds of thousands of high-quality manufacturing jobs within the United States.

By prioritizing American-made products, we invest in the livelihoods of American workers, thus empowering families and communities across our great nation.

But our commitment extends even further. Our brave men and women in uniform, who dedicate their lives to protect our freedoms, deserve nothing less than the best tools available. By enhancing domestic content requirements, we guarantee that our armed forces have consistent access to the highest quality equipment, enabling them to safely and effectively accomplish their missions. We owe it to our military personnel to equip them with the best the United States offers.

As a U.S. Navy veteran and former aircraft assembler at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas, I know firsthand the importance of defense manufacturing on our nation’s security.

The support for Buy American is not confined to the IAM; it resonates throughout the labor movement. The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, or AFL-CIO — the largest federation of unions in the United States — stands shoulder to shoulder with us in advocating these policies. It emphasizes Buy American policies, reflecting our shared values and ensuring that government procurement aligns with U.S. labor, environmental, and health and safety standards. By reinvesting taxpayer dollars in domestic products, we forge jobs that support families and communities in cleaner, safer American factories.

The Union Veterans Council has also wholeheartedly endorsed Buy American, underscoring the pivotal role that domestic manufacturing plays in providing our troops with the highest-quality defense products. Our veterans, who understand the significance of American-made equipment in safeguarding our national security, speak from a place of profound experience.

The united endorsements of the IAM, AFL-CIO and the Union Veterans Council underscore the urgency of strengthening domestic manufacturing and our shared commitment to fortify our nation and workforce.

In the face of recent global challenges, we must bolster our domestic capabilities and safeguard our national interests. By unwaveringly supporting Buy American policies, we invest in the future of our nation, enhancing our economy, defense and workforce. This is the path to a stronger, more secure America, and it is one that we must wholeheartedly embrace.

Robert Martinez Jr. is the international president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. He previously served in the U.S. Navy and worked as an aircraft assembler for Lockheed Martin.

作为美国最大的航空航天和国防工会——国际机械师和航空航天工人协会的领导人，我将始终致力于维护我们国家强大的基石：高质量的美国就业机会、强大的国防力量和蓬勃发展的国内国防工业基础。这些原则是我们保障和增强美国劳动力的使命的核心。

我们的国防项目巩固了国家安全，推动了技术创新，并促进了地方经济发展。通过这些项目，我们培养了一支由高技能工人、工程师和后勤人员组成的强大队伍，他们致力于打造首屈一指的尖端国防装备。这些敬业的男女正是美国制造业精神的典范，他们生产的技术保障了我们军人的安全和国家的安全。

我们近期发布了一份报告，提出了构建更具韧性的航空航天和国防工业的未来发展路径。其中一项核心建议是大幅加强“购买美国货”的要求，以确保美国纳税人的钱不仅能重新投资于美国经济，还能在联邦采购过程中优先考虑工会工人。

我们近期在践行这些价值观方面取得了重大进展，我们敦促国会议员支持旨在加强重大国防项目国产化率要求的各项举措。这项由新泽西州众议员唐纳德·诺克罗斯 (Donald Norcross) 发起的呼吁，已获得广泛的两党支持。

我们国家的国防和经济活力的核心在于我们的“购买美国货”政策，该政策体现了我们最深层的价值观。

数十年来，国际机械师和航空航天工人协会（IAM）一直不懈努力，致力于强化国内零部件含量要求，确保美国制造业在应对国家挑战中发挥核心作用。这项努力不仅旨在增强国内国防工业基础，更着眼于在美国创造和维持数十万个高质量的制造业就业岗位。

通过优先选择美国制造的产品，我们投资于美国工人的生计，从而增强我们伟大祖国各地家庭和社区的能力。

但我们的承诺远不止于此。我们勇敢的军人，那些为保护我们的自由而献出生命的军人，理应获得最好的装备。通过提高国产化率要求，我们确保我们的武装部队能够持续获得最高质量的装备，从而使他们能够安全有效地完成任务。我们有责任为我们的军人配备美国所能提供的最佳装备。

作为一名美国海军退伍军人和前洛克希德·马丁公司位于德克萨斯州沃斯堡工厂的飞机装配工，我亲身了解国防制造业对我们国家安全的重要性。

对“购买美国货”的支持并非仅限于国际机械师协会（IAM），而是遍及整个劳工运动。美国劳工联合会和产业工会联合会（AFL-CIO）——美国最大的工会联合会——与我们并肩倡导这些政策。它强调“购买美国货”政策，这体现了我们共同的价值观，并确保政府采购符合美国的劳工、环境以及健康和安全标准。通过将纳税人的钱重新投入到国产产品中，我们创造了就业机会，从而在更清洁、更安全的美国工厂中支持家庭和社区。

美国退伍军人协会也全力支持“购买美国货”运动，强调国内制造业在为我们的军队提供最高质量的国防产品方面发挥着关键作用。我们的退伍军人深知美国制造的装备对维护国家安全的重要性，他们的发言可谓发自肺腑。

国际机械师协会、美国劳工联合会-产业工会联合会和工会退伍军人委员会的一致支持，凸显了加强国内制造业的紧迫性，以及我们共同致力于巩固国家和劳动力的承诺。

面对近期全球挑战，我们必须增强国内实力，维护国家利益。坚定不移地支持“购买美国货”政策，就是在投资国家未来，提升经济、国防和劳动力素质。这是通往更强大、更安全的美国的道路，也是我们必须全心全意拥抱的道路。

小罗伯特·马丁内斯是国际机械师和航空航天工人协会的国际主席。他曾在美国海军服役，并在洛克希德·马丁公司担任飞机装配工。