Staff report

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the All-American Flag Act, which would require the federal government to only buy flags completely produced and manufactured in the United States.

“American flags should be made in America, period,” Sen. Brown said. “Today, half of the materials that our women and men in uniform fight under can be made in China. We have to change that. We shouldn’t use taxpayer dollars to purchase American flags made overseas when American companies – and companies right here in Ohio – proudly produce the American flag. My bipartisan All-American Flag Act would ensure that the government buys flags that are entirely produced and manufactured in America, by American workers.”

Currently, the federal government must buy flags that contain only 50 percent American-made materials. The Senators’ legislation 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. In 2017, the U.S. imported 10 million American flags. Of those, all but 50,000 came 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 Sen. Collins. “This bipartisan legislation will ensure that the symbol of our nation is preserved while supporting American jobs and manufacturers.”

Brown and Collins have previously introduced this legislation. This year Manchin and Scott are joining as original cosponsors.