WASHINGTON, DC – Following news that the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) outsourced to China production of opening ceremony uniforms for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) ) today announced he will introduce the “Team USA Made In America Act of 2012” next week with five senate colleagues. The legislation would require the USOC, a federally chartered non-profit entity, to adopt a procurement policy that requires ceremonial uniforms the USOC purchases or commissions be sewn or assembled in the United States.
“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. “This measure will help ensure that moving forward, work on our Olympic uniforms will help create jobs in America and not China.”
The bill would amend the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to require the adoption of a procurement policy that requires ceremonial uniforms for U.S. Olympians be sewn or assembled in the United States with fabrics formed and cut in the United States or components knit to shape from yarns wholly formed in the United States. If the USOC can't meet the procurement requirement, they would have to provide a detailed justification for sourcing from overseas.
Senator Casey will be joined by Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in introducing the legislation.
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