Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin
Legislation will require the federal government to purchase flags produced entirely on American soil with American materials
Washington, DC – On Flag Day, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Gary Peters (D-MI) reintroduced the bipartisan All-American Flag Act, which would require the federal government to exclusively purchase flags that are entirely produced and manufactured in the United States.
“It’s plain and simple: the United States flag, which serves as a symbol of our founding history and values, should not be made overseas,” said Senator Manchin. “I am proud to reintroduce this commonsense legislation to require the federal government to purchase flags manufactured entirely in the United States. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bipartisan legislation to protect our symbol of American ideals and encourage American manufacturing jobs.”
“American flags should be made in America, period,” said Senator Brown. “Today, half of the materials that our women and men in uniform fight under can be made in China. We have to change that. We shouldn’t use taxpayer dollars to purchase American flags made overseas when American companies – and companies right here in Ohio – proudly produce the American flag. My bipartisan All-American Flag Act would ensure that the government buys flags that are entirely produced and manufactured in America, by American workers.”
“The American flag serves as a symbol of our identity, resolve, and values as one people. To honor its significance, the federal government should only use flags entirely manufactured in the United States,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation would ensure that the symbol of our nation is preserved while supporting American jobs and manufacturers.”
“The American flag is our nation’s most visible symbol and there is no question the United States government should buy flags that are made here at home,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan bill will ensure we appropriately honor this emblem that represents America’s spirit around the world, and will support businesses and workers in Michigan and across the nation who manufacture our flag.”
Currently, the federal government can buy flags that contain only 50 percent American-made materials. The Senators’ legislation would require the government to buy flags that are produced entirely with American-made materials and manufactured completely in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Census Data, in 2015 the dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags was $4.4 million. Of that amount, $4 million of imported flags came from China. In 2017, the U.S. imported 10 million American flags. Of those, all but 50,000 came from China.
Earlier today, Senator Manchin released a statement and poem commemorating Flag Day.
The full text of the legislation is available here.