South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham last week introduced new legislation that he believes will bolster the American textile sector, starting with mills and manufacturers in his home state.
The Coast Guard Personnel Equipment Act would require that all U.S. Coast Guard uniforms be manufactured stateside by domestic producers. As it stands, all branches of the country’s armed forces except the Coast Guard are prohibited from purchasing apparel, fabrics, fibers, yarns and other materials that are made by offshore producers under the Berry Amendment.
The bill would extend the ban to cover all military members.
“For too long, America-last policies have led to an over-reliance on other nations for essentials, including military clothing, putting our national security in jeopardy. My legislation would end this practice by ensuring uniforms for all branches of the armed forces are made in the U.S.A.,” Senator Graham said.
The lawmaker said that a “secure and reliable” domestic supply chain for textiles would ensure military readiness and also create benefits for the U.S. economy, especially in areas of the country with a heritage of textile manufacturing.
“The Coast Guard Personnel Equipment Act would greatly benefit South Carolina’s textile producers and workers, who have been gravely undercut by unfair trade practices for decades,” Graham said.
The Senator urged President Donald Trump in February to take executive action against the foreign procurement of uniforms for law enforcement officers, ensuring that they are made in the U.S. One month later, Trump signed an executive order that aims to root deceptive “Made in the U.S.A.” claims, encouraging the Federal Trade Commission to consider new procedures for verifying country-of-origin claims.
Last week, he again urged federal agencies to purchase American-made goods.
“We sincerely thank Senator Graham for his leadership in extending the Berry Amendment’s domestic sourcing requirements to the U.S. Coast Guard. Under this important bill, the men and women of our United States Coast Guard will be guaranteed access to the same high quality, American-made uniforms and personal gear that are provided to all other members of our armed forces,” said National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) president and CEO Kim Glas.
“This is also an important step in strengthening our nation’s warm industrial base for the production of mission critical U.S.-made textiles, uniforms, and gear to meet our national security needs.”
