[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8656 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8656
To require the Department of Justice to procure ballistic-resistant
body armor manufactured using domestic ballistic fibers.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 4, 2026
Mr. Higgins of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. Harrigan, and Mrs. Biggs of
South Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Department of Justice to procure ballistic-resistant
body armor manufactured using domestic ballistic fibers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Ballistic Armor Made in America Act
of 2026''.
SEC. 2. RULES RELATED TO PROCUREMENT OF BALLISTIC-RESISTANT BODY ARMOR.
(a) Required Disclosure of Source of Materials.--
(1) Disclosure.--Beginning not later than 60 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the National
Institute of Justice shall require any entity, including a
company or manufacturer, that submits or has submitted
ballistic-resistant body armor to the National Institute of
Justice's Compliance Testing Program to disclose each country
where such armor is manufactured and where ballistic fibers
contained in such armor are grown, reprocessed, reused,
recycled, or produced.
(2) Publication.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Director of the National
Institute of Justice shall--
(A) add as a part of the information listed for
each ballistic-resistant body armor model on the
compliant products list, including any ballistic-
resistant armor model on the compliant product list
prior to the date of the enactment of this Act, each
disclosure required under paragraph (1); and
(B) update, as soon as reasonably possible and in
not more than 30 days, the compliant products list each
time ballistic-resistant body armor model has been
certified by the National Institute of Justice as
meeting the latest standard for such armor.
(3) Made in america.--No product listed on the compliant
products list that discloses ballistic fibers grown,
reprocessed, reused, recycled, or produced outside of the
United States of America may use any markings, symbols or other
language related to the designation of ``Made in America''.
(4) Emerging technologies.--The Director of the National
Institute of Justice shall determine if the requirements under
paragraphs (1) through (3) shall apply to any advanced
materials used to replace ballistic fibers in the manufacturing
of ballistic-resistant body armor.
(b) Prohibition on Procurement From Outside of the United States.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 31 of title 28, United States
Code, is amended by inserting after section 509B the following:
``Sec. 509C. Domestic Sourcing Requirement for Department Procurements
``(a) Prohibition.--The Attorney General may not use funds
appropriated or otherwise available to the Department of Justice for
the procurement of ballistic-resistant body armor if such armor is
manufactured from or contains ballistic fibers that are grown,
reprocessed, reused, recycled, or produced outside of the United
States.
``(b) Exceptions.--The prohibition under subsection (a) shall not
apply if the Attorney General determines that ballistic-resistant body
armor manufactured from or containing ballistic fibers that are grown,
reprocessed, reused, recycled, or produced in the United States cannot
be procured as and when needed at United States market prices or if the
ballistic fibers have been found to be in compliance with the section
4862 of title 10, United States Code (commonly known as the `Berry
Amendment') and section 604 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009 (6 U.S.C. 453b) (commonly known as the `Kissel Amendment').
``(c) Definition.--In this section:
``(1) Ballistic-resistant body armor.--The term `ballistic-
resistant body armor' means an item of personal protective
equipment, consisting of hard armor or soft armor, that is
intended to protect the wearer from threats, including
ballistic threats, stabbing, fragmentation, and blunt impact.
``(2) Hard armor.--The term `hard armor' means an item of
personal protective equipment that is constructed of rigid
materials and is used in the composition of ballistic-resistant
body armor.
``(3) Soft armor.--The term `soft armor' means an item of
personal protective equipment constructed of pliable or
flexible materials and is used in the composition of ballistic-
resistant body armor.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents for chapter
31 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 509B the following:
``509C. Domestic Sourcing Requirement for Department Procurements.''.
(c) Know Before You Buy Training.--The Director of the Federal Law
Enforcement Training Centers shall provide an educational training
program for any State or local governmental entity that has applied for
or has received a grant from the Department of Justice to purchase
ballistic-resistant body armor regarding the disclosure requirement
under subsection (a)(1).
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Ballistic-resistant body armor.--The term ``ballistic-
resistant body armor'' means an item of personal protective
equipment, consisting of hard armor or soft armor, that is
intended to protect the wearer from threats, including
ballistic threats, stabbing, fragmentation, and blunt impact.
(2) Compliant products list.--The term ``compliant products
list''means the official list of ballistic-resistant body armor
that have been certified by the National Institute of Justice
and is published as the ``Compliant Products List: Ballistic
Resistant Armor'' (or a subsequent list) on the internet
website of the Department of Justice.
(3) Hard armor.--The term ``hard armor'' means an item of
personal protective equipment that is constructed of rigid
materials and is used in the composition of ballistic-resistant
body armor.
(4) Soft armor.--The term ``soft armor'' means an item of
personal protective equipment constructed of pliable or
flexible materials and is used in the composition of ballistic-
resistant body armor.
<all>