Posted on 07/14/2008 11:29:41 PM PDT by americanophile
WASHINGTON - The American flag has many labels: Stars and stripes. Old Glory. And sometimes, made in China. Congress can't halt the flow of Chinese-made flags, but lawmakers can try to control where they are flown. The House declared Monday that any flag flown on federal property should be made in the U.S.A. "It's not a major problem facing the nation," admitted Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif. "But it's an irritant." Chinese-made flags seemed to pop up everywhere after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. People rushed to show their sense of patriotism by buying American flags, and U.S. manufacturers couldn't keep up with demand. Foreign imports of American flags, worth around $1 million annually at the time, surged to nearly $52 million in the weeks that followed. Then as demand subsided, lawmakers took action, requiring the Defense Department to buy American-made textiles and the Veterans Affairs Department to use American-made flags for burials. And in the city where Congress meets, only U.S.-made flags fly over the nation's Capitol. Still, more than 8,000 other federal buildings courthouses, post offices, border stations, office buildings, among others are under no such obligation. Filner, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, wanted to force the government to buy only American-made flags. "But we were told that this mandatory stuff runs into trade agreements," the eight-term congressman said. That is because the U.S. has gone to great pains to hammer out trade deals with other countries and can't impose new limits after the fact. His solution was a nonbinding "sense of Congress" resolution that cleared the House on Monday. It doesn't have any teeth...
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
A Democrat from California doing something for America? That’s news to me.
All US flags made of synthetic fibers should be made from oil produced in the US or US waters.
Yeah right, We’re just exchanging cheap Chinese labor for cheap illegal Mexican labor.
It's an out for people who burn flags. If they burn a representation they're not really - officially - burning a US flag.
For example the nylon flag from a craft or drugstore on a small, wall mounted pole in the front of our house does not get the same treatemnt as the flag flying on the 20 foot staff in my side yard. The one in the yard is lighted if flown at night and is changed when it gets tattered. The small, nylon flag soon discolors and frays but it often stays up even in poor weather.
Come to think of it, my understanding is/was that all "official" US flags are mandated to be made in the US. I would be surpsirsed if federal courthouse or military flags are made outside the us. Then again???
I'm gonna hafta go look this up.
prisoner6
too widdle, too wait....
So’s pressing “1” for English when contacting various government agencies.
For the record the flag flown in front of my home is made in the USA .. Valley Forge Flag Company .. I made sure when I bought it.
My sense of pride and well being were well worth the extra $2... That’s right .. only a $2 difference to get an American made flag people.
I support this effort. I applaud my Democrat California neighbor on this one.
After forty or more years of passing legislation guaranteed to send US manufacturing to cheap labor nations, what should anyone expect?
Wow, what a concept.
Much as I hate to see more government regulation, I'm having a hard time disagreeing with this one.
I won't buy a flag that's not made in the US.
BTTT
That was beautiful
Thanks for posting
My sense of pride and well being were well worth the extra $2... Thats right .. only a $2 difference to get an American made flag people.
Same here, and you can tell by takeing just a quick glance at the stitching, that it is much better made.
Makes me misty everytime I watch it.
bump!
If your party quit harassing American businesses they would still be made in America.
Thank you ... for both of those links. Very nice videos.
Is that you in the music one?
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