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U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown is seeking passage of a bill that would require the federal government to purchase only American flags that are made in the United States.
(iStock)
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Shortly before Independence Day, lawmakers who want the federal government to buy only American-made U.S. flags won a skirmish in a legislative battle for that goal that's lasted almost as long as the Revolutionary War itself.
Last week, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs approved the "All-American Flag Act" authored by Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, which would make the U.S. government buy only flags "that are 100 percent manufactured in the United States, from articles, materials, or supplies 100 percent of which are grown, produced, or manufactured in the United States."
Legislators in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have sought passage of such a bill since 2008, when Iowa Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley first introduced it after being inspired by legislation under consideration in Iowa's state house.
"Allowing the government to purchase flags from foreign countries is embarrassing to America's greatest symbol," said Braley. "There are many companies here in the U.S. that proudly manufacture American flags, and the government should be purchasing flags from them, supporting American-made products, not importing flags from China."
Braley's bill passed the House of Representatives unanimously in 2010, but the effort died because the U.S. Senate didn't act before the end of the two-year legislative term.
Brown signed onto the next year's campaign. The Senate unanimously passed his bill in 2011, but the effort died again because the House didn't act before the end of that term.
Brown and Braley tried again in 2013. On June 25, the Senate committee with jurisdiction over the issue signed off on the bill, but the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hasn't acted on its House counterpart. A spokeswoman for that committee did not respond to inquiries about the bill. The Senate and House bills have co-sponsors in both political parties.
Objections to the bill have included the the lower cost of the foreign-made flags, and questions over whether it might violate trade agreements. Brown's office says the federal government is currently required to purchase flags made from only 50 percent American-made materials.
Brown says $3.8 million worth of American flags were imported to the United States in 2012 from other countries. Most were from China. Passing his bill would help U.S. workers and businesses, including Canton's RS Sewing, the nation's largest maker of hand-held stick flags of the sort handed out at many July 4 parades, said Brown.
"American flags should be American made," Brown said. "It is the right way to honor our veterans and it is the right way to support American workers and businesses. With Ohio companies proudly producing the American flag, taxpayer funds should not be used to purchase those made in other countries. I thank committee leadership for supporting my legislation and helping it move one step closer to becoming law."
Meanwhile, one of the bill's GOP supporters in the House of Representatives, California's Mike Thompson, put language in a spending package earlier this year that requires the Defense Department to buy only American-made U.S. flags.
His provision applied the Berry Amendment to U.S. flags. The policy was passed in 1941 to block the Defense Department from buying foreign food, clothing, uniforms, steel and tools, except in rare circumstances. As of February, it also applies to American flags, which were not previously covered.
"This provision will make sure every American flag DOD buys is made in America, by American workers with American products," said a statement from Thompson. "I am proud to have worked to pass this law so that our men and women in uniform never have to fight under a U.S. flag made overseas, and so that our Defense Department never again spends American tax dollars on a U.S. flag made overseas."