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WASHINGTON - The U.S. House Armed Services Committee Wednesday approved an amendment by Rep. John Spratt (D-SC) to ensure that the Department of Defense (DoD) continues to buy bearings made only at plants in North America.

Spratt wrote the “Buy American” rule in 1988, and DoD followed it until December, when it began to interpret strictly a provision requiring that bearings be “wholly manufactured” using domestic raw materials.  Because parts of some bearings have no domestic source, the interpretation allowed DoD to skirt the rule and open bids to bearing companies outside of North America.

“When DoD buys from foreign producers who do none of their work in America, shutting out American plants and workers using over 90% American parts, the spirit of the ‘Buy American’ rule is violated,” said Spratt, a senior member of the Committee.

Spratt said the outer cages and rings on certain bearings have no domestic source.

Spratt’s amendment instructs DoD to “Buy American” even if American plants use foreign raw materials for lack of a domestic source, and to develop a domestic source for raw materials now made abroad.  The amendment passed the Committee unanimously.

South Carolina is a leading bearing producer, with 15 plants statewide, including seven in Spratt’s congressional district: Timken in Gaffney, Kaydon in Sumter, INA in Fort Mill and Cheraw (2), Roller Bearing Corporation in Hartsville, and AJAX in York.

"Our economy literally turns on its bearings," said Spratt, "and the same is true of our military.  Bearings are critical components in gun turrets of tanks, jet engines, even missile guidance systems, and throughout the moving parts of the most intricate machines.  If we want to remain a self-sufficient economy, and keep our defense industrial base strong, we have to keep a robust bearing industry here in America.  Keeping the ‘Buy American’ rule effective serves that purpose."

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