I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2039 
To clarify the applicability of the Buy American Act to products purchased 
for the use of the legislative branch, to prohibit the application of 
any of the exceptions to the requirements of such Act to products 
bearing a Congressional seal, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 22, 2009 
Ms. KAPTUR (for herself and Mr. HARE) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition 
to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To clarify the applicability of the Buy American Act to 
products purchased for the use of the legislative branch, 
to prohibit the application of any of the exceptions to 
the requirements of such Act to products bearing a Con-
gressional seal, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Congressional Made 
in America Promise Act of 2009’’. 
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SEC. 2. APPLICABILITY OF BUY AMERICAN ACT TO LEGIS-
LATIVE BRANCH; NO EXCEPTIONS FOR PROD-
UCTS BEARING CONGRESSIONAL SEAL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2 of the Buy American 
Act (41 U.S.C. 10a) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Notwithstanding’’ and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) CLARIFICATION OF APPLICABILITY TO ARTI-
CLES, MATERIALS, AND SUPPLIES FOR USE OF LEGISLA-
TIVE BRANCH.— 
‘‘(1) 
APPLICABILITY
TO
LEGISLATIVE 
BRANCH.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
subsection (a) applies with respect to articles, mate-
rials, and supplies acquired for the use of any office 
in the legislative branch, including the House of 
Representatives and the Senate, in the same manner 
as such subsection applies with respect to articles, 
materials, and supplies acquired for the use of a de-
partment or independent establishment. 
‘‘(2) SPECIAL RULE FOR PRODUCTS BEARING 
CONGRESSIONAL SEAL.—In the case of any product 
which bears the seal of the United States House of 
Representatives, the seal of the United States Sen-
ate, or the seal of the United States Congress and 
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which is acquired for the use of an office of the leg-
islative branch, the following shall apply: 
‘‘(A) The head of the office may not make 
a determination under subsection (a) that it is 
inconsistent with the public interest to enter 
into a contract in accordance with this Act. 
‘‘(B) The head of the office may not make 
a determination under subsection (a) that an 
article, material, or supply is not mined, pro-
duced, or manufactured, as the case may be, in 
the United States in sufficient and reasonably 
available commercial quantities and of satisfac-
tory quality. 
‘‘(C) The last sentence of subsection (a) 
shall not apply.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 69 of the 
Revised Statutes of the United States (2 U.S.C. 109) is 
repealed. 
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
The amendments made by this Act shall take effect 
upon the expiration of the 180-day period which begins 
on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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