Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, two senators of New York, have written to the Secretary of State and former New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, asking the State Department to explain its decision o…
Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, two senators of New York, have written to the Secretary of State and former New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, asking the State Department to explain its decision on why Steuben Glass was not allowed to bid on a federal contract to provide glassware for all US embassies, while the company that was awarded the contract immediately outsourced the work to Sweden. “Whenever possible, our embassies and embassy residences should be showcases for American-made products, not foreign-made goods,” the Gillibrand/Schumer letter states. “New York“s Steuben Glass, for example, which has a long and rich history as a renowned art glass manufacturer, should have had an opportunity to bid on this high-profile contract,” the letter continued. “Steuben Glass has had a relationship with every Presidential Administration going back to Truman Administration. It is known the world over as a prominent leader in the field of high-end art glass design and has been producing glassware in Corning, New York, for over 100 years.” “Right here in Steuben County we“ve got a world-renowned glass manufacturer that employs hundreds of people, and they at the very least deserve a chance to compete for this work,” Schumer said in a prepared statement. “At a time when so many of our friends and neighbours are out of work, we should be making every effort to ensure that our government procures and showcases American-made products, not foreign-made goods.” According to Gillibrand, if the Southern Tier“s economy and its job count are to increase, “we need to make sure businesses here are getting a fair chance at federal contracts.” “We can“t afford to outsource a single contract and a single job,” Gillibrand said in a statement. “Supplying glassware to more than 400 embassies and residences would open new markets worldwide and American companies like Steuben Glass deserve to have that opportunity.”