Bustos, Kinzinger introduce bill requiring government to buy flags ‘Made in the USA’

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The two members of Congress representing the Sauk Valley — one a Democrat and the other a Republican — are leading an effort to make sure that when the federal government purchases United States flags, they are 100% Made in the USA.

U.S. Reps. Cheri Bustos of the 17th District and Adam Kinzinger of the 16th District — along with three Ohio lawmakers — introduced the All-American Flag Act.

The others introducing the bipartisan bill were Ohio Reps. Tim Ryan and Shontel Brown, and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio.

The bill, if signed into law, would require the federal government to purchase U.S. flags only if they were 100% American made.

In the previous session of Congress, Bustos secured a provision that encouraged federal agencies to purchase American-made U.S. flags.

“When a veteran expressed his concern to me about American flags made overseas, I worked across the aisle to require the Defense Department to buy American-made flags,” Bustos said. “I hear time and again that our veterans are disappointed that tax dollars are buying American flags made in countries like China. That’s why this week, as we observe Flag Day, I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to ensure all American flags purchased with federal tax dollars are made here in America.”

Kinzinger echoed the sentiment, adding: “This may seem like common sense, but so many of our American flag products sold here in the U.S. are made in China and elsewhere. This has to stop.”

Currently, U.S. law requires the federal government to purchase flags made out of only 50% American-made materials.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Census Data, the dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags was $4.4 million in 2015. Of that amount, $4 million of imported flags that were made came from China. In 2017, the U.S. imported 10 million American flags. Of those flags made, all but 50,000 of the flags came from China.