U.S. troops can no longer cart around American flags that were made in China, thanks to legislation written by Rep. Mike Thompson.
“I thought it was appalling our Department of Defense would have flags made in other countries,” Mr. Thompson said, CBS reported. “But it’s also important because we need to be making more in America.”
The ban was signed into law as part of the 2014 omnibus appropriations measure. The new regulation means U.S. military flags can’t come from China and applies a 1941 law that bans the Defense Department from purchasing most military products overseas, except in the rarest of circumstances.
A separate measure that would have mandated that all flags bought by the government — not just by the Defense Department — come from domestic manufacturers failed, CBS reported. Still, veterans are hailing the new ban as a win.
“I am proud to have worked to pass this law so that our men and women in uniform never have to fight under a U.S. flag made overseas and so that our Defense Department never again spends American tax dollars on a U.S. flag made overseas,” said one Vietnam War veteran and Purple Heart recipient, in CBS.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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