Offshoring and the Global Economy: A Progressive Agenda

Contributors: Brian Deese and John Lyman
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The Center for American Progress' agenda includes both short-term and long-term policy proposals to address the challenges of offshoring.

Immediate steps to address the impact of offshoring on the U.S. economy:

• Create a New Support System for America's Workers. Adopt a bold new universal assistance system for displaced workers, with a cushion that includes healthcare, retraining, wage insurance and an updated unemployment insurance system.
• Reform the Tax Code. Close loopholes in the tax code that provide incentives for companies to move jobs abroad rather than invest at home.
• Enforce and Strengthen Labor Laws and Improve Employer/Employee Notification. Strengthen labor laws and ensure employees are given adequate notice before work is offshored.
• Re-examine the Federal Government Contracting Process. Ensure fair working conditions under all federal contracts and protect sensitive national security- and privacy-sensitive material.
• Update the Economic Data Collection Process. Improve the economic data collection process so that workers and businesses are able to grasp the true impact of offshoring.

Longer-term policies to advance U.S. economic competitiveness and the capacity to produce good, high-paying jobs:

• Improve the Business Climate by Lowering Healthcare and Energy Outlays. Create policies that lower health care costs and improve energy efficiency and productivity.
• Improve the Investment Climate by Restoring Long-Term Fiscal Discipline. Rein in the trade and budget deficits and restore fiscal discipline to counteract disinvestment in the United States.
• Increase Investment in Research and Technology Infrastructure. Invest in research and development to maintain global competitiveness and develop new technologies.
• Reform and Improve the U.S. Education System. Prepare American workers for the global economy by improving the education system and increasing funding for math and science programs.