[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 30, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H5057]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MADE IN AMERICA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Budd) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, one of the biggest lessons that the COVID-19 
pandemic has taught us is the importance of the phrase ``Made in 
America.''
  In my home State of North Carolina, we are a national leader in 
textile manufacturing, and we have a rich history of producing high-
quality products. That is why North Carolina has been at the forefront 
of helping our first responders and frontline medical personnel get the 
protective equipment that they need to effectively battle the virus.
  For these reasons, I want to see our protective equipment made in the 
United States and not in a country controlled by the Chinese Communist 
Party.
  For the last two decades, most observers have predicted that either 
the United States or China will lead the world in the 21st century. In 
the early 2000s, we saw China as a friendly competitor that we could 
work with economically. However, in recent years, the actions of the 
Chinese Communist Party have revealed the true colors of an 
authoritarian force. They are not our friends, and they are not a force 
for good in this world.
  Given the fact that it was China that mishandled the virus, and China 
that allowed it to spread, and China that lied to the world about it, 
how acceptable is it that the American people should be reliant on 
China for the essential personal protective equipment that we need to 
fight the virus? That would be like having to beg the arsonist to help 
you put out the fire that they started.
  That is why I introduced the Make PPP in America Act, along with 
Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. This bipartisan legislation requires the 
Defense Logistics Agency to issue longer term contracts to make 
personal protective equipment in the United States.
  We have to boost our domestic supply chains and make sure our most 
important products come from our shores and not from our adversaries 
like Communist China.
  Bottom line, we need to ensure that Made in America is more than just 
a slogan. Made in America needs to be a guiding principle as we move 
into the 2020s and beyond.

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