Buy America

California’s bullet train authority decides to buy American after all As Published by Ralph Vartabedian in Los Angeles Times The California High Speed Rail Authority has reversed its plans to buy foreign parts for its trains, saying in a letter to federal regulators that it was withdrawing a request for a waiver from the Buy American Act. […]

Washington, D.C. — Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issues this statement following the announcement in Wilmington, DE by Vice President Joe Biden on the winning bidder in Amtrak’s high speed train purchase: “The U.S. economy and working people scored a victory today following the announcement by Vice President Joe Biden […]

At the request of Amtrak and CAHSRA, FRA seeks to waive its Buy America standard in order to allow the final assembly of up to four HSR trainset prototypes to take place outside the U.S.  Given the limitations on the domestic production and testing of HSR trainset prototypes as identified in the notice, we will not oppose this narrow waiver to help expand HSR in the U.S. while simultaneously developing domestic production facilities.

It’s no secret that we’re underinvesting in our transportation infrastructure. It’s been years since Congress passed a long-term surface transportation funding bill, our aviation system relies on outdated technology, and the last rail funding authorization expired more than a year ago. Across all modes of transportation and across the entire nation, we’ve underinvested to such […]

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I urge your support for the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2014 (PRRIA) when it is considered by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee later this week. This important legislation funds and sustains a key component of our national transportation system, and we commend Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member Rahall, Subcommittee Chairman Denham and Subcommittee Ranking Member Brown for their leadership in crafting this bipartisan, compromise legislation.

Washington DC – The following statement was issued today by Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) on the Water Resources Reform and Development Act: “Our nation’s ports and waterways will get a much-needed boost under legislation being considered this week by the House and Senate to reauthorize the Water Resources Reform […]

Mr. Gerald Yakowenko Office of Program Administration Federal Highway Administration 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE Washington, DC  20590                      RE:     Buy America Policy                                 Docket No. FHWA-2013-28186                                 Buy America Waiver Request, Chicago DOT On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, I write in response to the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) notice regarding the […]

WASHINGTON, DC—The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) today endorsed certain changes by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to Buy America policy that will lead to job creation and stronger transportation and manufacturing sectors. “TTD and our affiliated unions have long advocated for strong transportation Buy America policies,” said TTD President Edward Wytkind. “We should be […]

Mr. Gerald Yakowenko Contract Administration Team Leader Office of Program Administration Federal Highway Administration 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE Washington, DC  20590 RE:     Buy America Policy Docket No. FHWA-2013-0041 Notice and Request for Comments Dear Mr. Yakowenko, On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I write in response to the Federal Highway Administration’s […]

[As posted by Ed Wytkind in the National Journal] The budget cuts being imposed on the FAA for the remainder of the year, and the cascading effects the reckless sequester will have on air travel, are hardly akin to trimming a little fat. So let’s stop calling the sequestration a 2.5 percent “belt-tightening” for the FAA. […]