All-American Flag Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3121) to require the purchase of domestically made flags of the United States of America for use by the Federal Government, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of H.R. 3121, introduced by Congresswoman Bustos of Illinois. H.R. 3121 is a bipartisan bill to ensure government agencies only buy United States flags made from 100 percent American- made material.

Most Americans may think American flags purchased with taxpayer money for the government are made here at home by Americans using only U.S. materials. Surprisingly, this is not a uniform requirement in current Federal acquisition laws and regulations. When it comes to the content of American flags purchased by executive agencies, the requirements under the current law are inconsistent.

The Department of Defense and the military departments generally are required to buy American flags made entirely of U.S. materials, but civilian agencies are currently permitted to buy flags that are manufactured in the U.S. consisting of only 51 percent American-made materials, or sometimes even less than that.

This bill brings all executive agencies under a single rule when it comes to the content of American flags bought by agencies across the government.

Rather than impose new rules and exceptions for DOD and civilian agency flag purchases, the All-American Flag Act recognizes and essentially adopts current DOD requirements and exceptions.

H.R. 3121 contains limited exceptions that recognize practical realities, such as domestic nonavailability, in keeping with current law governing DOD purchases in textiles, including U.S. flags.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Bustos and the many cosponsors who are leading this effort to honor America's greatest symbol of freedom, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York for yielding me time. I appreciate it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bipartisan bill, the All- American Flag Act. This commonsense legislation will require all American flags purchased by the Federal Government to be made entirely in the United States from materials grown or manufactured in the United States.

The idea for this bill came to me when I was sitting down and talking with a Vietnam vet. We were at a VFW hall, and he pointed to the corner, saw an American flag there, and said: Do you know that the American flag can be made in China?

I was very surprised that that could even happen. I will never forget when he looked at me and said: ``I didn't fight for China. I fought for the USA.''

I later learned that, in 2015 alone, taxpayers footed the bill to import American flags to the tune of $4.4 million, $4 million of which went straight to China.

Since that conversation, I have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to require the Department of Defense to purchase 100 percent American-made flags. With the support of my colleagues today, we can ensure that all American flags purchased with taxpayer money are 100 percent American made.

There is no reason that the symbol of our Nation, our freedoms, and our values, proudly worn on the sleeves of our American soldiers or displayed right here, like right behind me, in our Nation's Capitol should be manufactured anywhere but in the United States of America.

By purchasing flags made on American soil, we can ensure that the symbol of our Nation is preserved, while supporting American jobs and manufacturing.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the All-American Flag Act is a commonsense bill that all Members should support. It would simply require all Federal agencies to purchase American flags that are manufactured in the United States, using materials grown or produced in the United States.

Under current law, this requirement applies only to the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. It should be extended to all Federal agencies.

As under current law, the bill would provide certain limited exceptions and allow agencies to purchase American flags made elsewhere if they are not available in sufficient quantity or quality from American manufacturers.

Mr. Speaker, I intend to reserve my time eventually, but first, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Bustos), my distinguished colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my friend and colleague on this excellent, patriotic bill, of which I am a cosponsor.

I have no further speakers on this side of the aisle, so I yield back the balance of my time.