BPO Backlash

[Guest]

The Senate today adopted an amendment by Sen. Chris Dodd to restrict the use of federal taxpayer funds to pay for work done by overseas workers.

As a stand-alone, Dodd's original bill introduced in the Senate on Feb. 12, 2004...

- as S.2094 and known as "The U.S. Workers Protection Act of 2004" -

...would have likely hung in Congressional hearings, would never have been voted on during this congressional session. It might have been dommed. As it was, there were no co-sponsors of the S.2094 bill.

Consequently, yesterday, Senator Dodd introduced - and fought vigorously for - this to be passed in the Senate (through roll call vote) as an amendment to Senate Bill S.1637. This afternoon, it passed 70-26!

The purpose of S.1637 - the bill amended by Senator Dodd's amendment - is to:


a.. amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to comply with the World Trade Organization rulings on the FSC/ETI benefit in a manner that preserves jobs and production activities in the United States, to reform and simplify the international taxation international rules of the United States, and for other purposes.
S.1637 is a bill that is expected to be voted on - and passed - soon. It's been under consideration since its introduction by Senator Grassley (IA) last September. It is expected to be passed to meet our country's requirements to be compliant with WTO rulings. Non-compliance has resulted in our country having had to pay some very steep fines.

Dodd's staff has just confirmed that the wording and intent of the original stand-alone S. 2094 bill has not been compromised. The original intent was summarized to be:

1. To make permanent a one year restriction - set to expire in September of 2004 - barring federal agencies from privatizing federal jobs using contractors who employ overseas workers.
2. To prohibit federal agencies from awarding procurement contracts to companies that use overseas workers, on their own payroll or through subcontractors.
3. To require state agencies to prove they will not use services performed outside the United States before being awarded federal funds for state projects (to that agency) .

The original bill - S.2094 - is found at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:s.02094


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Read on if you want more information!


a.. Dodd's original stand-alone bill - S.2094 - is found at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:s.02094
b.. Here's a link for a news article just out about the acceptance of this amendment today : http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=1...xauYe8&refer=us .

Here's even more information on the bill amended and on Dodds' amendment to that bill!

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S.1637(FSC/ETI) - the Senate bill now under further consideration and amended today as by Dodd's S.AMDT.2660

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from http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?...01637:@@@P

Title: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to comply with the World Trade Organization rulings on the FSC/ETI benefit in a manner that preserves jobs and production activities in the United States, to reform and simplify the international taxation rules of the United States, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Grassley, Charles E. [IA] (introduced 9/18/2003) Cosponsors: 8
Latest Major Action: 3/3/2004 Senate floor actions. Status: The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
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COSPONSORS(8), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]: (Sort: by date)

Sen Baucus, Max - 9/18/2003 [MT]
Sen Cantwell, Maria - 10/21/2003 [WA]
Sen Chafee, Lincoln D. - 10/22/2003 [RI]
Sen Daschle, Thomas A. - 9/29/2003 [SD]
Sen Graham, Bob - 9/22/2003 [FL]
Sen Hatch, Orrin G. - 9/18/2003 [UT]
Sen Murray, Patty - 9/29/2003 [WA]
Sen Smith, Gordon - 9/24/2003 [OR]

Sen Kerry, John F. - 9/30/2003(withdrawn - 10/15/2003) [MA]

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from http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d1.../temp/~bdqsbp::


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S.AMDT.2660 - Dodd's amendment accepted now to amend Senate bill S.1637(FSC/ETI), a bill now under Senate consideration
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S.AMDT.2660 S.AMDT.2660
Amends: S.1637
Sponsor: Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] (submitted 3/3/2004) (proposed 3/3/2004)
AMENDMENT PURPOSE:
To protect United States workers from competition of foreign workforces for performance of Federal and State contracts.

TEXT OF AMENDMENT AS SUBMITTED: CR S2139-2140

STATUS:

3/3/2004:
Amendment SA 2660 proposed by Senator Dodd.
COSPONSORS(5):

Sen Coleman, Norm - 3/3/2004 [MN]
Sen Kennedy, Edward M. - 3/3/2004 [MA]
Sen Corzine, Jon - 3/3/2004 [NJ]
Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. - 3/3/2004 [MD]
Sen Feingold, Russell D. - 3/3/2004 [WI]


Amends: S.1637
Sponsor: Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] (submitted 3/3/2004) (proposed 3/3/2004)
AMENDMENT PURPOSE:
To protect United States workers from competition of foreign workforces for performance of Federal and State contracts.

TEXT OF AMENDMENT AS SUBMITTED: CR S2139-2140

STATUS:

3/3/2004:
Amendment SA 2660 proposed by Senator Dodd.
COSPONSORS(5):

Sen Coleman, Norm - 3/3/2004 [MN]
Sen Kennedy, Edward M. - 3/3/2004 [MA]
Sen Corzine, Jon - 3/3/2004 [NJ]
Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. - 3/3/2004 [MD]
Sen Feingold, Russell D. - 3/3/2004 [WI]