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Legislative bills

Bipartisan Legislation Seeks to Ensure American-Made Combat Boots for Troops

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Maine Senator Susan Collins and others have introduced the BOOTS Act, a bipartisan bill to require combat boots worn by American servicemembers to be entirely manufactured in the United States with U.S.-sourced materials. This legislation aims to strengthen national security, create good-paying jobs, and improve military readiness by closing a loophole that has allowed for the widespread use of low-quality, foreign-made boots.

Key Takeaways:

  • The BOOTS Act seeks to expand current uniform regulations to ensure combat boots worn by servicemembers are manufactured entirely in the United States with U.S.-sourced materials.
  • The bill has bipartisan support, with Senators Collins and King, and Representative Golden as original sponsors.
  • The legislation would close a loophole in the Berry Amendment, which has allowed for the widespread use of foreign-made boots, and require all combat boots and parts worn by the American military to be made in the USA.
  • The bill is endorsed by over 20 American manufacturers, including New Balance Athletics, Vibram Corporation, and Unifi.
  • The BOOTS Act aims to create good-paying jobs, strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities, and ensure uniform consistency, reducing confusion for servicemembers and supporting the domestic industrial base.
  • The legislation is necessary to avoid supply disruptions in times of crisis and to ensure the availability, accessibility, safety, and quality of the uniforms worn by servicemembers.

Statistics:

  • 85% of American-made combat boots are sourced from U.S. materials, while foreign-made boots contain an average of 50% foreign materials [1].
  • The current loophole in the Berry Amendment has led to a significant decline in demand from American companies, resulting in a loss of domestic manufacturing capabilities and undermining the domestic defense supply chain.
  • 20 American manufacturers endorse the BOOTS Act, including New Balance Athletics, Vibram Corporation, and Unifi (Source: United States Footwear Manufacturers Association).
  • The legislation aims to create good-paying jobs and investment domestically, supporting the domestic industrial base and the U.S. defense supply chain.

Sources:

  • AandE
  • American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA)
  • American Sole
  • Belleville Boot Co.
  • Draper Knitting
  • Emtex Global
  • G-Form
  • Glacial Lakes Rubber and Plastics
  • Grassland Stamping
  • Hope Global Manufacturing
  • Maine Senator Susan Collins
  • Mississippi TanTec
  • McRae Footwear
  • Meramec
  • Meridian
  • Milliken
  • National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)
  • New Balance Athletics
  • PolyLabs
  • Rubberlite
  • Signet Mills
  • Senator Angus King
  • Senator Susan Collins
  • SX Industries
  • Thorogood
  • Unifi
  • United States Footwear Manufactures Association (USFMA)
  • U.S. Representative Jared Golden
  • Vibram Corporation
  • Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC)
  • W.L. Gore and Associates
  • Worthen Industries
  • YKK USA

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