Department of Defense Must Buy American Made Solar Panels
Greentech Media
The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2011, was signed into law last week by President Obama. The full text of the law can be found here.
The act covers a broad range of Defense Department activities. Andtucked into the act during the recent lame duck session of congress isthis little passage (italics mine):
SEC. 846. PROCUREMENT OF PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES.
(a) CONTRACT REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of Defense shall ensure thateach contract described in subsection (b) awarded by the Department ofDefense includes a provision requiring the photovoltaic devices provided under the contract to comply with the Buy American Act (41 U.S.C. 10a et seq.), subject to the exceptions to that Act provided in the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.) orotherwise provided by law.
That’s right, it’s the good old Buy American Act of 1933.
And amongst other things — it means that the military can’t use Chinese-made solar panels.
Uh-oh.
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