President Joe Biden, is now pushing a message in favor of American manufacturing. He would issue an executive order to prioritize American manufacturing in US government contracts and Federal grants. The new executive order would raise the bar for products considered ‘Made in the US’ for government contracts, and install a new overseer, the director of ‘Made-in-America’ at the Office of Management and Budget, says a statement by the White House.

The US currently spends some $600 billion annually on government contracts, the office noted. The money spent on goods and services are a powerful tool to support American workers and manufacturers. The president’s executive order establishes the goals and standards necessary to use Federal purchasing, and other forms of Federal assistance with domestic preference requirements, as a way to proactively invest in American industry so it can continue to lead in the global marketplace.

The move was hailed by organizations including the textile industry lobbying group the National Council of Textile Organizations, which said it expected the measures would support domestic manufacturing.

The executive order also pointed at loopholes in the current ‘Buy American’ scheme for government spending, including what the office referred to as “unnecessary waivers” of requirements under the scheme. It would also seek to increase transparency about permitted waivers by having them posted online by the General Services Administration.

The NCTO, meanwhile, has been pushing for more domestic production of personal protective equipment during the pandemic, a sentiment echoed by the American Apparel & Footwear Association. Recently, the AAFA indicated that it supported the Biden administration’s move, and also highlighted its member companies’ role in the production of military uniforms.