(WTAQ-WLUK) — A proponent of ‘Made in America’ and especially Wisconsin, Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin is at the forefront of new legislation that would ensure taxpayer-funded technologies are manufactured in the U.S.
“If American taxpayers are funding research and that research leads to say a breakthrough technology or an innovation, then American manufacturers should be making the products that result,” said Baldwin.
That is the premise of the Invent Here, Make Here Act. The bipartisan legislation was introduced by Baldwin and Republican Sen. JD Vance from Ohio.
“Taxpayer funds were funding some battery research — so important in this day and age — and a cutting-edge technology was created,” explained Baldwin. “It was then licensed to a company in China.”
Baldwin wants to see those new technologies and products stay in America. And she believes, in some cases, if these innovations or breakthroughs leave the U.S., it could be a security issue.
Baldwin is also concerned with national security in the wake of the latest indictment against former President Donald Trump. She reiterated a grand jury reviewed evidence and found probable cause to charge Trump.
“The former president will have his day in court to defend himself, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” added Baldwin.
Baldwin has yet to find out who she might have to defend her seat in the Senate against.
Last week U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-8th District, — a possible challenger — said he won’t run for Senate.
Baldwin said she looks forward to working with the Green Bay area Republican moving forward.
“I will say, he has a really big job in the House of Representatives with the select committee, and we’re just talking about a measure that I introduced that talks about not selling our innovations and breakthrough technologies to China but keep them in the U.S.,” said Baldwin. “I look forward to working with him, whether it’s on issues related to the industry in the Green Bay area or with his work on the select committee.”
The select committee she’s referring to the Select Committee on the Chines Communist Party, which Gallagher chairs.
