A bipartisan bill that would require the government to buy United States flags that are completely produced and manufactured in the United States is headed to President Biden's desk.
The All-American Flag Act passed the House of Representatives last week and was sent to the president on Thursday..
Republican Sen Susan Collins of Maine was one of the sponsors of the bill. She says that in 2017, the U.S. imported 10 million American flags including 50,000 from China.
"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."
Currently, the federal government must buy flags that contain only 50 percent American-made materials. The All American Flag Act 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.
Collins has been working with Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio on the policy issue for several years.
