OLYMPIA – Emotions ran high Tuesday as lawmakers jousted on the need to study whether state contracts with foreign countries are costing jobs for state residents.
"We do live in a global economy," began Rep. Sandra Romero, D-Olympia, but we don’t have to be swept away by it."
On a 64-31 vote, the House of Representatives endorsed creation of a panel of business, labor and legislators to calculate the effect of signing taxpayer-funded contracts with companies that do the work outside the United States. The measure goes to the Senate for action.
"We don’t need to look at how our jobs are leaving," insisted an opponent of the measure, Rep. Glenn Anderson, R-Issaquah. "We need to create new jobs. This study is a way to avoid this."
But a dozen Republicans crossed the aisle to back House Concurrent Resolution 4419.
"We shouldn’t use our tax dollars to subsidize other industries to hurt our people," Pierce County Republican Rep. Tom Campbell said, his voice rising. "Stop spending my money against my people in my district."
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