Uniforms for Opening Ceremonies in London Were Made in China -- Senator Calls on Committee to Reform Practices
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that he has written a letter to the U.S. Olympic Committee asking them to commit to using uniforms made in America after it was revealed that the U.S. Olympic team will wear uniforms made in China for the opening ceremonies in London.
The decision to make the uniforms in China deprived U.S. manufacturers and their workers the ability to produce the uniforms and benefit from the additional business.
“The U.S. Olympic Committee was 100% wrong to outsource the manufacturing of U.S. uniforms for the opening ceremony to China,” Senator Casey said. “Moving forward, the U.S. Olympic Committee must commit to using only made-in-America uniforms so that the work being done to prepare our athletes for the games creates jobs in America and not China.”
Senator Casey’s letter to the United States Olympic Committee is below:
Mr. Scott Blackmun
Chief Executive Officer
United States Olympic Committee
Dear Mr. Blackmun:
I am concerned by recent media reports that the official apparel for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team was manufactured in China. If true, the U.S. Olympic Committee should take immediate steps to ensure that future team apparel will be produced in the United States.
The long, successful history of our Nation’s Olympians is a point of pride for all Americans. The U.S. Olympic Team has served to inspire patriotism throughout our country, bringing us all closer together. Just as all of America supports our Olympic Team, the U.S. Olympic Team should take every opportunity possible to support American workers and businesses. Using foreign manufacturers to produce apparel that serves as a symbol of our Nation is inexcusable.
The decision to produce this apparel outside of the U.S. is particularly troubling given the many Americans who are still without work. Manufacturing the official apparel in the United States would have directly assisted American textile workers. To outsource this contract is disgraceful. The U.S. Olympic Committee must take immediate steps to ensure that all future U.S. Olympic Team merchandise and apparel are produced in the United States.
Sincerely,
Robert P. Casey, Jr.
United States Senator
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