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'You're not an American Company'

DOE Loan Recipient testifies most employees overseas

The chairman of First Solar, a company that received approximately $3.1 billion in federal loan guarantees under President Obama's green energy initiative, said Wednesday that the majority of the jobs created by the company have been overseas.

Speaking at a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, First Solar chairman Michael Ahearn admitted that most of the company's full-time jobs are held overseas.

"In sheer numbers, most of our full-time employees are outside the U.S," Ahearns said.

"It sounds like you're not an American company," said committee chairman Darrell Issa (R., Calif.). "You simply have a small presence in Ohio and Arizona."

Issa stated figures showing First Solar employed 560 workers in Germany, 1680 in Malaysia, and 280 in Ohio.

Published under: First Solar