Joe’s amendment passed the Senate by voice vote last week

INDIANAPOLIS – The U.S. Senate sent a strong message that it agrees with Joe Donnelly that businesses need to keep jobs in America after supporting his amendment this past week. As the budget resolution containing his amendment heads to the House, however, none of Indiana’s GOP Senate candidates – including the two Washington Republicans running – have indicated they’ll put any support behind the amendment or proposals like Joe’s End Outsourcing Act, which fights corporations who outsource jobs.

Thursday evening, the Senate passed Joe’s amendment by voice vote calling on the Senate to support American workers by stopping tax breaks for companies that ship jobs to other countries. The amendment is in line with Joe’s End Outsourcing Act, which would claw back and prohibit companies that outsource jobs from receiving tax breaks, allow the federal government to consider outsourcing when awarding taxpayer-funded contracts, and reward companies who bring jobs back to America.

The budget resolution will now head back to the House, where the inclusion of Joe’s amendment is not guaranteed. If the amendment is to remain in the version the House is likely to vote on this week, it will likely require the support of Indiana Republicans. So far, however, none of Indiana’s Republican Senate candidates have come out in support of Joe’s amendment or pushed House Republicans to pass it.

That includes Congressmen Messer and Rokita, two members of the House Republican Caucus who will play a pivotal role in passing the budget resolution—Congressman Rokita as Vice Chair of the House Budget Committee and Congressman Messer as a member of House Republican Leadership. However, neither man has shown any interest in moving the amendment forward. While he may not serve in Congress, State Rep. Mike Braun has made no public effort to pressure House Republicans into supporting the proposal.

“Hoosiers are concerned about supporting our manufacturing and keeping good jobs in America, but while Joe Donnelly has worked hard to get the Senate on the same page for commonsense outsourcing legislation, Indiana’s Republican Senate candidates have stood idly by,” said Will Baskin-Gerwitz, Senior Media Strategist for the Indiana Democratic Party. “And now, with Joe’s amendment headed to the House, they have another pivotal chance to act. Will the GOP’s candidates stand with Hoosier workers and push Joe’s amendment forward, or will they continue to put politics before people?”

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