'Outsourcing' And The Defense Debate.

As Election Day nears, Democratic lawmakers are increasingly keen on reducing the number of U.S. jobs outsourced overseas, a phenomenon that could spark a renewed push from defense industrial base protectionists seeking to stem the flow of taxpayer money spent on foreign military products and services. If so-called "Buy American" legislation introduced last week in both chambers is any indication, lawmakers and lobbyists can expect to wrestle with the issue in the months ahead. In the House last week, a measure introduced by Representative Bernard Sanders and 50 co-sponsors could adversely affect defense trade, according to analysts. The bill, the "Defending American Jobs Act of 2004," seeks to prevent companies from receiving federal grants, loans and loan guarantees if they lay off a greater percentage of workers in the U.S. than they lay off in other countries.