[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 118 (Monday, July 22, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H4716-H4717]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ALL-AMERICAN FLAG ACT

  Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(S. 1973) to require the purchase of domestically made flags of the 
United States of America for use by the Federal Government.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 1973

       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 ``All-American Flag Act''.

     SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT FOR AGENCIES TO BUY DOMESTICALLY MADE 
                   UNITED STATES FLAGS.

       (a) Requirement for Agencies To Buy Domestically Made 
     United States Flags.--
       (1) In general.--Chapter 63 of title 41, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     section:

     ``Sec. 6310. Requirement for agencies to buy domestically 
       made United States flags

       ``(a) Requirement.--Except as provided in subsections (b) 
     through (d), funds appropriated or otherwise available to an 
     agency may not be used for the procurement of any flag of the 
     United States, unless such flag has been 100 percent 
     manufactured in the United States from articles, materials, 
     or supplies that have been grown or 100 percent produced or 
     manufactured in the United States.
       ``(b) Availability Exception.--Subsection (a) does not 
     apply to the extent that the head of the agency concerned 
     determines that satisfactory quality and sufficient quantity 
     of a flag described in such subsection cannot be procured as 
     and when needed at United States market prices.
       ``(c) Exception for Certain Procurements.--Subsection (a) 
     does not apply to the following:
       ``(1) Procurements by vessels in foreign waters.
       ``(2) Procurements for resale purposes in any military 
     commissary, military exchange, or nonappropriated fund 
     instrumentality operated by an agency.
       ``(3) Procurements for amounts less than the simplified 
     acquisition threshold.
       ``(d) Presidential Waiver.--
       ``(1) In general.--The President may waive the requirement 
     in subsection (a) if the President determines a waiver is 
     necessary to comply with any trade agreement to which the 
     United States is a party.
       ``(2) Notice of waiver.--Not later than 30 days after 
     granting a waiver under paragraph (1), the President shall 
     publish a notice of the waiver in the Federal Register.
       ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Agency.--The term `agency' has the meaning given the 
     term `executive agency' in section 102 of title 40.
       ``(2) Simplified acquisition threshold.--The term 
     `simplified acquisition threshold' has the meaning given that 
     term in section 134.''.
       (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new item:

``6310. Requirement for agencies to buy domestically made United States 
              flags.''.
       (b) Applicability.--Section 6310 of title 41, United States 
     Code, as added by subsection (a)(1), shall apply with respect 
     to any contract entered into on or after the date that is 180 
     days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
South Carolina (Ms. Mace) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from South Carolina.


                             General Leave

  Ms. MACE. 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 this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from South Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, American flags should be made in America. This bill 
ensures that the Federal Government buys U.S. flags that are made from 
100 percent American materials.
  According to the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Census data, in 
2017, the U.S. imported 10 million American flags. Of those, all but 
50,000 came from China.
  The Department of Defense and individual military departments are 
already generally required to buy American flags that are made entirely 
of U.S. materials, but civilian agencies do not have such restrictions. 
The All-American Flag Act applies current DOD requirements and 
exceptions across the government.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be an original cosponsor of the House 
companion bill, and I urge my colleagues to support this important 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the American flag should be made in the USA. The All-
American Flag Act is a bipartisan bill that I invite all Members to 
support. It would require all Federal agencies to purchase American 
flags that are manufactured right here in the USA, using materials 
grown and produced in the United States.
  Under current law, this requirement applies only to the DOD and VA. 
This bill would extend it to all Federal agencies. I commend the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Sorensen), our distinguished colleague and 
the author of the House bill, for his diligent and important work on 
this issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Sorensen).
  Mr. SORENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. 
Raskin) and the gentlewoman from South Carolina (Ms. Mace) for working 
on this effort with me.
  Today, I ask this governing body: What is the most American thing 
that Members can think of? Is it George Washington, who looks over us? 
Is it the dome of the Capitol Building, under which Members do the work 
of the people?
  Mr. Speaker, I believe the most American thing is the symbol that 
flies on my home in Moline, Illinois, on top of this important 
building, on the back of every ship that carries our military, and 
which is displayed so proudly behind the Speaker.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand here and see S. 1973, the All-
American Flag Act, considered on the floor of the House of 
Representatives. Under current law, the government can buy flags that 
contain just 50 percent American-made materials, but I believe that 
American flags, paid for by American taxpayers, should be entirely made 
in the greatest country in the world, by the greatest workers in the 
world.
  My bill would require the Federal Government to buy flags that are 
manufactured 100 percent in the United States, with materials 100 
percent grown or produced in the United States.
  In 2021, my home State of Illinois passed a law that all American 
flags purchased must be American made.
  This legislation will bring the values of our neighbors back home to 
the Federal Government. Whether it is over a post office in Kewanee, 
Illinois, accompanying our troops to battle, or on a casket of a fallen 
hero, our patriotism has to begin and end here in this country.
  In 1906, George Cohan wrote ``You're a Grand Old Flag.'' The song's 
signature lyric, ``She's a Grand Old Flag,'' came from a conversation 
that he had with a Civil War veteran who fought at Gettysburg.
  My bill will ensure that all grand flags are made in this grand land. 
I am proud to see my bill come to the House floor today, and I urge all 
of my patriotic colleagues to be proud of their support for its swift 
passage and for our great Nation.
  Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
bipartisan bill to ensure American flags are made right here in 
America. This is something every American can get behind.

[[Page H4717]]

  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support sending this legislation to the 
President's desk, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Sorensen), and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from South Carolina (Ms. Mace) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 1973.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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