Buy American and Hire American

What it means

This order promotes "Buy American, Hire American" policies for federal agencies. It requires agencies to minimize waivers to Buy American laws and assess their compliance with domestic preference rules. It also directs immigration officials to reform the H-1B visa program to favor highly-skilled or high-wage foreign workers.

Expected impact

• Increased government purchases of American-made products, potentially boosting U.S. manufacturing and creating jobs
• More rigorous enforcement of Buy American laws across federal agencies
• Reforms to the H-1B visa program that may reduce the number of foreign workers in certain sectors
• Potential economic benefits for American workers and manufacturers
• Possible challenges from international trading partners concerned about protectionist policies
• Higher costs for some government procurement projects where domestic products are more expensive than foreign alternatives