Build Local, Hire Local Act

Bill: 117-s-1827
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2021-05-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Advisory bodies
Age discrimination
Air quality
Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration
Assault and harassment offenses
Aviation and airports
Building construction
Business investment and capital
Buy American requirements
Child care and development
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Community life and organization
Congressional oversight
Department of Commerce
Disability and paralysis
Educational technology and distance education
Employee hiring
Employee leave
Employment and training programs
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Environmental regulatory procedures
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Health care coverage and access
Health facilities and institutions
Health technology, devices, supplies
Housing and community development funding
Housing supply and affordability
Indian social and development programs
Infrastructure development
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Labor standards
Labor-management relations
Migrant, seasonal, agricultural labor
Minority and disadvantaged businesses
Minority employment
Performance measurement
Pollution liability
Public contracts and procurement
Public housing
Public transit
Public-private cooperation
Railroads
Regional and metropolitan planning
Research administration and funding
Roads and highways
Rural conditions and development
Sex offenses
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Small business
Solid waste and recycling
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security
Unemployment
Urban and suburban affairs and development
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Wages and earnings
Water quality
Water resources funding
Water use and supply
Women in business
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2021-05-25
text: 

Build Local, Hire Local Act

 
This bill imposes various requirements on certain federally assisted infrastructure projects. The bill also creates infrastructure-related grant programs and establishes the Buy America Bureau.
 
Such federally assisted infrastructure projects must (1) employ a certain percentage of local workers to the maximum extent practicable; and (2) prioritize hiring certain individuals, such as veterans and those facing barriers to employment. A certain percentage of funds for these projects must be used for contracts with small businesses that have fewer than 10 employees. 
 
When applying for a contract, grant, or loan related to a project, the applying entity must disclose whether there are any rulings, such as a civil judgment, finding that the entity has violated certain federal labor and occupational safety laws in the last three years. 
 
In addition, the Department of Transportation must award grants to entities in disadvantaged and underserved communities for infrastructure projects that create connected, economically prosperous, and environmentally healthy communities. Further, the Department of Labor must provide grants to workforce development boards and industry partnerships for job training programs to train certain groups, such as individuals with barriers to employment, for jobs in targeted infrastructure industries. 
 
The bill also establishes the Buy America Bureau within the Department of Commerce to oversee project compliance with existing laws that require the use of U.S.-made materials in certain federally funded projects.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-05-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2021-05-25
text: Introduced in Senate