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H.R. 5935: American Steel First Act of 2008

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H.R. 5935: American Steel First Act of 2008

110th Congress · introduced 2008-04-30 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2008-04-30 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Visclosky, Peter J. [D-IN-1] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

American Steel First Act of 2008

Plain summary

American Steel First Act of 2008 - Prohibits heads of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Transportation (DOT) from obligating or expending funds or providing financial assistance for projects for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public building or public work unless all of the iron and steel used in such project is produced in the United States. Waives such prohibition in cases where: (1) the prohibition would be inconsistent with the public interest; (2) iron and steel are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities of a satisfactory quality; or (3) inclusion of iron and steel produced in the United States will increase the cost of the overall project contract by more than 25%. Prohibits waivers by a department head for products produced in a foreign country that is determined by the U.S. Trade Representative to have violated the terms of an agreement with the United States by discriminating against products covered by the agreement that are produced in the United States. Prohibits such department heads from imposing financial assistance restrictions on: (1) states that impose more stringent requirements on the use of iron and steel in foreign countries in projects carried out with such assistance; or (2) recipients that comply with such state imposed requirements. Makes any person who intentionally labels or represents a product used in a project under this Act as "Made in America" when it is not ineligible for another department contract from for six years. Requires the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) publish a justification for a waiver of the prohibition against obligating funds to carry out the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, highway projects, public transportation projects, or aviation programs unless the steel, iron, and manufactured products used are produced in the United States; and (2) provide for public notice and comment for such waiver.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

American Steel First Act of 2008

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Visclosky, Peter J. [D-IN-1] · 34 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Joe Wilson (R-SC), André Carson (D-IN), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), James P. McGovern (D-MA)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-hr5935 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110