Soon Old Glory will have to be born in the land of the free, and not just fly over it.
Congress has passed a bill that would require the federal government to purchase only American flags that are produced entirely in the United States. The U.S. imports millions of American flags from abroad, primarily China, and bill sponsors said it is time for American flags to come from the country they represent.
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 just symbolic — they believe it will support American jobs and manufacturers while preserving the nation’s most recognizable flag.
“The American flag serves as a symbol of our identity, resolve, and values as one people. To honor its significance, the federal government should use only flags that are made entirely in the United States,” Collins said.
Supporters of the bill said Monday they expect the measure to become law soon. It was sent to President Joe Biden on Thursday.
Federal rules currently require the government to purchase flags that are made of at least half U.S.-made materials, proponents of the proposal said. The rule change, called the “All American Flag Act,” would require government-purchased flags to be made entirely of American-made materials and also manufactured in the U.S.
The value of U.S. flag imports in 2015 was more than $4 million, according to federal data. The vast majority of those imports came from China, proponents of the rule change said.
In 2017, the U.S. imported about 10 million American flags, 99.5 percent of which came from China, proponents of the proposal say. Those figures include all American flags imported into the country, not just those purchased by the federal government.
Collins and Brown have insisted that American flags produced in the USA. for several years. Previous attempts to change the rules and require American flags were successful in the U.S. Senate but stalled when they reached the House of Representatives.
