[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 35 (Tuesday, March 18, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H1048]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        COMBAT BOOTS FROM CHINA?

  (Mr. TRAFICANT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, last week the Pentagon denied that combat 
boots made in China were issued to our troops. The Pentagon said they 
awarded four contracts to American companies. It was impossible for 
that to happen.
  Mr. Speaker, it is evident that the Pentagon's left foot does not 
know what their right foot is wearing. I have Nighthawk combat boots in 
my possession, made in China, that were issued to a sergeant of the Air 
Force Reserve.
  Now, let us tell it like it is. The Pentagon has always told us in 
debates, if they could not buy those cheaper imports, they could not 
keep their costs down. You know what I tell Congress to do? Tell the 
Pentagon that we can hire generals and admirals a lot cheaper from 
Korea, too, and we could keep the cost down.
  I am asking my colleagues to join me in investigating this matter, 
why military combat boots were issued to our troops.

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