Michelin blasts 'Buy American' defense bill provision

WASHINGTON (July 16)—Michelin North America Inc. has joined the Bush administration and the Pentagon in opposition to a "Buy American" clause in the House version of the 2004 Defense Department appropriations bill which would expand the list of defense-related goods that would have to come from U.S. suppliers. Among the items on the expanded list are tires for military ground vehicles. A Michelin spokesman said Goodyear supports the provision, although a Goodyear spokesman couldn't confirm this. "They've talked about moving one-third of their production offshore," the Michelin spokesman said of Goodyear. "How does this square with insisting the U.S. military buy only U.S.-made tires?" The Senate, which didn't include the "Buy American" provision in its version of the bill, is expected to go into conference with the House shortly on the defense legislation.