The President: My fellow Americans,
On Monday, I signed a Presidential Proclamation
declaring this to be "Made in America Week."
We believe that our country is stronger,
safer, and more prosperous when we make more of our
goods and our products right here in the USA.
When we purchase products Made in America, the
wealth, revenue and jobs all stay in our country -
to be enjoyed by our people.
Since we first won our Independence, our Founders
and many of our greatest leaders have promoted that
we should afford a special level of protection to the
products and goods manufactured within our borders.
They understood that as a nation, we have common
bonds with our fellow citizens and common
obligations to each other.
Making and buying made in America products brings us
closer, and strengthens the ties that link
us all together.
For too long, our government's policies have
punished production in America while rewarding
and encouraging the movement of production
overseas, which is totally ridiculous.
The result has been the loss of numerous
industries, the decimation of entire communities, and
years of sluggish growth and flat wages.
Throughout American history, our nation's best
leaders have believed in the importance of
protecting our domestic industry.
This includes every President on Mount Rushmore.
George Washington encouraged Americans to
produce their own goods so that our young nation
could become truly independent.
Thomas Jefferson wrote that Americans should
choose products made in America whenever possible
- and by the way, I'm asking you to do that.
Abraham Lincoln warned that abandoning the
policies that protect American industry would
"produce want and ruin among our people."
Theodore Roosevelt stated in his First message to
Congress that "Reciprocity must be treated as the
handmaiden of protection."
James Monroe called on our nation to "cherish
and sustain our manufacturers."
James Garfield said of our nation's manufacturers:
"To them the country owes the splendor of the
position it holds before the world."
William McKinley believed that when America protects
our workers and industries, we "open up a
higher and better destiny for our people."
And Calvin Coolidge stated that protecting American
industry "enables our people to live according
to a better standard...
and receive a better rate of compensation than any
people, anytime, anywhere on earth, ever enjoyed."
We are now, under the Trump Administration,
reclaiming our heritage as a manufacturing nation.
We are fighting to provide a level playing field for
American Workers and Industries.
Other countries will cease taking advantage of us,
believe me.
We are going to build works of beauty and wonder
- with American hands, American grit, and
American iron, aluminum, and steel.
No longer will we allow other countries to break
the rules, steal our jobs, and drain our wealth.
Instead, we will follow two simple but very
crucial rules: We will buy American and we
will hire American.
Already, we have created over a million new jobs
this year - and doing even better than anticipated.
We are just getting started - believe me, we
are just getting started.
For every job that comes back to this country, and
every factory that reopens, and every town
that is revitalized, we aren't just restoring
American wealth, we are restoring American pride.
We are restoring America's future - a future where
millions will be lifted from welfare to work,
where children will grow up in safe and vibrant
communities, and where our nation will stand stronger
than ever before.
And most importantly, it will be a future in which
you - our citizens - always come first.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America - we
are truly making it great again.