I 112th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5908 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 7, 2012 Ms. Baldwin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform A BILL To require the Federal Government to buy paper and paper products from American sources.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Purchasing American Generates Employment Act.

2.

Requirement to buy paper and paper products from American sources; exceptions

(a)

Requirement

Except as provided in subsections (c) through (f), funds appropriated or otherwise available to a Federal department or agency may not be used for the procurement of an item described in subsection (b) if the item is not grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States. (b)

Covered Items

An item referred to in subsection (a) is any article or item of paper or paper products, including any of the following: (1)Xerographic paper. (2)Printer paper. (3)Copier paper. (4)Fax paper. (5)Envelopes. (6)Toilet tissue. (7)Paper towels. (8)Toilet seat covers. (9)Facial tissues. (10)Thermal paper. (11)Thermal receipt paper. (12)Security paper. (13)Carbonless paper. (c)

Availability Exception

Subsection (a) does not apply to the extent that the head of the Federal department or agency concerned determines that satisfactory quality and sufficient quantity of any such article or item described in subsection (b) grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States cannot be procured as and when needed at United States market prices. (d)

Exception for Certain Procurements

Subsection (a) does not apply to the following: (1)Procurements outside the United States in support of combat operations or procurements of any item listed in subsection (b) in support of contingency operations. (2)Procurements by vessels in foreign waters. (e)

Exception for Commissaries, Exchanges, and Other Nonappropriated Fund Instrumentalities

Subsection (a) does not apply to items purchased for resale purposes in commissaries, exchanges, or nonappropriated fund instrumentalities operated by the Department of Defense. (f)

Applicability to Contracts and Subcontracts for Procurement of Commercial Items

This section is applicable to contracts and subcontracts for the procurement of commercial items notwithstanding section 1906 of title 41, United States Code. (g)

Geographic Coverage

In this section, the term United States includes the possessions of the United States. (h)

Notification Required Within 7 Days After Contract Award if Certain Exceptions Applied

In the case of any contract for the procurement of an item described in subsection (b), if the head of the Federal department or agency concerned applies an exception set forth in subsection (c) with respect to that contract, the head shall, not later than 7 days after the award of the contract, post a notification that the exception has been applied on the Internet site maintained by the General Services Administration known as www.fbo.gov. (i)

Federal department or agency defined

In this section, the term Federal department or agency has the meaning provided the term Executive agency in section 105 of title 5, United States Code.