Penelitian ini akan mengkaji mengenai perdebatan antar kongres dalam proses formulasi kebijakan American Recovery and Reinvestment Act pada tahun 2008. Selain itu penelitian ini juga akan menganalisis perdebatan dalam kongres pada salah satu provisi kebijakan tersebut, yaitu provisi Buy American yang dianggap sebagai tindakan proteksionisme. Kebijakan ini muncul sebagai respon atas adanya krisis Subprime Mortgage yang terjadi di Amerika Serikat, yang kemudian menjadi awal dari krisis finansial di negara tersebut. Pada proses formulasinya, terjadi perdebatan di kongres DPR maupun senat antara Demokrat dan Republik. Setelah melewati proses yang cukup panjang, akhirnya kebijakan tersebut pun berhasil diloloskan melalui pengambilan suara pada kongres. Dalam mengkaji perdebatan dalam formulasi kebijakan serta indikasi proteksionisme didalam provisi ini, penulis menggunakan teori proteksionisme serta group theory dalam pembuatan kebijakan publik.

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This study examines the debates in United States of America 39 s Congress on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 39 s formulation process in 2008. In addition, this study also analyzes the debate on one of those policy provisions, named as Buy American provision that is considered as a protectionist measure. This policy emerged in response to the Subprime Mortgage crisis that occurred in the United States, which later became the beginning of the financial crisis in the country.

In the formulation process, there was a debate at the House of Representatives and Senate Congress between Democrats and Republicans. After going through a long process, finally the policy was successfully passed through the vote at the congress. In reviewing the debates on policy formulation as well as indications of protectionism within this provision, the author uses the theory of protectionism and group theory in public policy making.