As the White House champions a “hire American” agenda, the administration wants to slash funding for a small government office that many U.S. companies say they rely on to stay ahead of foreign rivals, underscoring how competing political interests are complicating President Donald Trump’s pledge to restore the manufacturing industry.
The Trump administration is seeking to nearly gut funding for a Labor Department bureau that monitors the treatment of foreign workers, a program that U.S. businesses and labor groups alike say helps American workers compete fairly in the global economy. The program is unpopular among some conservatives, who criticize its backing for groups that support labor unions.
Major U.S. food and apparel companies are warning in letters to Congress that the deep cuts the White House wants to make to the low-profile Bureau of International Labor Affairs would undermine U.S. workers.
Among the corporations urging Congress to restore the bureau’s funding are well-known brands such as the Gap and Hanes, as well as Nestl? and PepsiCo, two of the largest food conglomerates. Many companies see the office’s work as a check on foreign competitors who operate under loose labor rules.
