A bill has been signed into law by U.S. President Joe Biden this week, requiring the federal government to only purchase American flags that are made domestically. To ensure fidelity, the new law specifies that the flags must be entirely made in the United States with American-made materials, closing loopholes that might allow a company to assemble a flag from foreign-made cloth. The effects of this law will be visible nationwide, as American flags fly at countless federal buildings, post offices, and military bases from coast to coast.
The bill is not a new idea and was proposed in 2011 and 2013. Although some might question the importance of the new law, the United States actually imported up to $5 million in foreign-made U.S. flags! The vast majority of imported American flags were made in China, a growing geopolitical rival. As tensions rise between the United States and China over the Pacific region, it is poor optics to be importing some of our national flag from that rival.
New Law is Powerful Symbol Supporting Domestic Production
Supporters of the bill in Congress pointed to the law as a direct example of the legislative and executive branches supporting American labor. Given difficult economic times due to high inflation, economic populism has been a strong political trend, and both major political parties have pledged support for domestic production. Former U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. President Joe Biden have maintained substantial tariffs on vital goods like aluminum and steel to protect domestic producers. This has maintained more American jobs in those industries, which are considered important for national security.
Although the flag-making industry is not as large as the steel industry, it is highly symbolic. Showing a strong commitment to ensuring that all American flags used by the government are made in America sends a signal to consumers and workers that their elected officials notice them. Now that the law has been signed, it will take effect in 180 days, right at the beginning of 2025.
Made-in-USA Flag Law a Rare Example of Bipartisan Consensus
The All-American Flag Act passed through both chambers of Congress with unanimous approval, making it a rare piece of bipartisan agreement during these highly polarized times. Despite the narrow nature of the new law, the fact that it was unanimous among 535 elected legislators is a powerful and positive signal to the American public that Democrats and Republicans can still come together. Specifically, it shows that the two parties can come together on issues relating to American labor and supporting domestic production. Although the two parties may rarely agree on how to best boost domestic manufacturing, it is a great sign that both parties agree that it is important to do so, both to protect the American worker and to bolster national security.
Hopefully, Democrats and Republicans can come together again on domestic production issues of even greater size and scope after the current election cycle!
