Christie vetoes "buy American" legislation

TRENTON – Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a package of bills Thursday that would require New Jersey state and local government agencies and bistate authorities to buy more American-made products.

The package of bills would have applied to bistate authorities such as the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Delaware River Port Authority, which buy large amounts of steel for construction projects, as well as state colleges, counties, municipalities and school districts.

As long as the cost for goods manufactured in the United States are less than 20 percent above fair-market value, New Jersey governmental units would have been required to buy them in fulfilling any publicly bid contract.

Current law requires many public agencies to buy goods from American suppliers whenever practical. Christie said foreign-headquartered companies are responsible for more than 225,000 jobs in New Jersey and that the vetoed bills would have increased costs to taxpayers and threatened job creation.

"Building economic walls around our state, or our nation, will not improve the lives of our citizens. Serious and lasting improvements to our economy require policies based on sound economics, and an understanding of global investment in the 21st century," Christie wrote in his veto message.

"The temptation to retreat to isolationism and fear will always be powerful. Our state, like our nation, will always be strongest when we embrace the opportunity to export our ideas, and our values, while we welcome the best new concepts from around the world," Christie wrote. "It is American exceptionalism that continues to drive investors, and investments, to our shores. New Jersey will lead that tradition forward."

MORE: At Reagan Library, Christie talks 'American exceptionalism'

The bill was opposed by a Canadian official when an Assembly committee considered it in December. Christie met Thursday with Alberta's premier, James Prentice, who stopped by the Statehouse during a visit to Washington and New York to advocate for the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Christie visited Prentice in his trade mission to Canada in December.

Asked by reporters whether he discussed the topic with Christie, Prentice said, "I think he'll be dealing with that later today."

Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, who had pushed for the bills, said the expansion of existing 'buy American' rules would have boosted the state's economy. He noted job growth rates in New Jersey is among the lowest in the country.

"The 'Made In America' bills are more than an expression of economic patriotism," Sweeney said.

"It's inexcusable for the governor to turn his back on American manufacturers and American workers by refusing to sign this bipartisan legislation," said Charles Wowkanech, New Jersey State AFL-CIO president.

MORE: N.J. job growth ranked 48th nationally in 2014

The vetoed bills would have required that at least half of the individual parts and components of a product come from the United States, as well. Opponents of the bill said American companies that buy parts from beyond United States borders could have become ineligible for public contracts.

"New Jersey would have been an outlier in the country in terms of how restrictive and far-reaching this legislation was, and it would have made the state very uncompetitive for job growth that is more often than not these days very connected to the global economy," said Nancy McLernon, president and chief executive officer of the Organization for International Investment. "The best way to reap the benefits of the global economy is to determine how to compete in it, not to shy away from it."

The main bill in the package was passed 27-4 by the state Senate and 43-24, with seven voting to abstain, in the Assembly.

Michael Symons: (609) 984-4336; msymons@app.com