The Secretary of Transportation may obligate an amount that may be appropriated to carry out section 106(k), 44502(a)(2), or 44509, subchapter I of chapter 471 (except section 47127), or chapter 481 (except sections 48102(e), 48106, 48107, and 48110) of this title for a project only if steel and manufactured goods used in the project are produced in the United States.

The Secretary may waive subsection (a) of this section if the Secretary finds that—

(1) applying subsection (a) would be inconsistent with the public interest;

(2) the steel and goods produced in the United States are not produced in a sufficient and reasonably available amount or are not of a satisfactory quality;

when procuring a facility or equipment under section 44502(a)(2) or 44509, subchapter I of chapter 471 (except section 47127), or chapter 481 (except sections 48102(e), 48106, 48107, and 48110) of this title—

(A) the cost of components and subcomponents produced in the United States is more than 60 percent of the cost of all components of the facility or equipment; and

(B) final assembly of the facility or equipment has occurred in the United States; or

(4) including domestic material will increase the cost of the overall project by more than 25 percent.

In this section, labor costs involved in final assembly are not included in calculating the cost of components.

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1298, § 49101; renumbered § 50101 and amended Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(88)(D), (89), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3398.)