Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders plans to introduce legislation to keep President-elect Donald Trump accountable to his campaign promise to limit outsourcing of American jobs.
“During the campaign, Donald Trump made a 100 percent commitment to prevent United Technologies from shipping 2,100 jobs from Indiana to Mexico,” Sanders said in a statement released by his senate office Saturday. He added, “All of us need to hold Mr. Trump accountable to make sure that he keeps this promise.”
On Thursday, Trump said he was “working hard” to keep a Carrier air conditioning factory in Indiana. CNBC reported out-going Indiana governor and Vice President-elect Mike Pence was leading the negotiations with Carrier.
Carrier tweeted a response to Trump, saying, “Carrier has had discussions with the incoming administration and we look forward to working together. Nothing to announce at this time.”
During Trump’s candidacy for the presidency, the insurgent businessman pledged to keep jobs in America and proposed a 35 percent tax on cars made in Mexico. Sanders’ plan announced Saturday would implement this idea.
The Outsourcing Prevention Act would “impose a tax on all companies that outsource jobs.” The proposed tax would be equal to “the amount of savings achieved by outsourcing jobs or 35 percent of its profits, whichever is higher.”
The proposed legislation would also penalize companies that outsource more than 50 jobs by barring them from receiving federal contracts, tax breaks, grants or loans. Companies that have already outsourced 50 jobs would face requirements to pay back federal tax breaks and loans, and receive tax penalties on stock options and bonuses.
President-elect Trump has already gotten a victory on the trade front with the death of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.