American flags for the federal government should only be made in the US, says Congress
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Soon, Old Glory will have to be born in the land of the free and not just fly over it.
Congress has passed a proposal requiring the federal government to buy only American flags that are made entirely in the US.
Supporters of the proposal, led by Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, said the change is more than symbolic — they believe it will support American jobs and manufacturers while preserving the nation's most revered banner.
“The American flag serves as a symbol of our identity, determination, and values as one people. To honor its importance, the federal government should only use flags that are made entirely in the United States,” Collins said.
Supporters of the proposal said Monday they expect the measure to be signed into law soon. It was sent to President Joe Biden on Thursday.
Federal laws currently require the government to purchase flags that contain 100 percent US-made materials, proponents of the proposal say. The legislative change, called the “All American Flag Act,” requires that flags purchased by the government be entirely American-made and produced in the US.
The value of US flag imports in 2015 was more than $4 million, according to federal data. Most of those imports come from China, say supporters of the law change.
In 2017, the US imported about 10 million American flags, 99.5% of which came from China, the proposal's supporters said. Those figures include all American flags imported into the country and not those purchased by the federal government.
Collins and Brown have been calling for American flags to be made in the US for several years. Previous efforts to change the laws to require US-made flags have found success in the US Senate but stalled in the House of Representatives.
-Patrick Whittle, The Associated Press
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