“In Northwest Indiana, our steel and manufacturing industries have been hurt because jobs have been shipped to other countries, and the outsourcing of jobs has also spread to white-collar technology jobs.  When American jobs are shipped overseas, the results cause instability to our families, communities, and our country’s economy,” said Visclosky.

Visclosky’s “Fighting for American Jobs Act” (H.R. 2759) would prohibit businesses that lay-off a greater percentage of their United States workers than workers in other countries from receiving any Federal assistance.  The legislation would require businesses that receive federal grants, loans and assistance to 1) provide the number of employees, both in the U.S. and overseas, and 2) provide the percentage of the workforce that has been laid off or forced to retire each year, both in the U.S. and overseas.  The legislation would prohibit federal assistance to a business that lays off a greater percentage of workers in the U.S. than overseas within the previous year.  To date, the federal government does not keep an accurate accounting of federal subsidies that go to companies that outsource American jobs.

“Our tax dollars, in the form of contracts, loans, and subsidies, should not go to companies that engage in outsourcing,” said Visclosky. “This legislation will provide accurate information on companies’ off-shoring activities, it will strengthen the American economy, and it will ensure tax dollars don’t help subsidize companies that engage in outsourcing.”

Visclosky introduced similar legislation in the 109^th Congress, but it was not enacted into law.