Sens. Lee, King Introduce Bill to Strengthen American Manufacturing

February 10, 2021

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Angus King (I-Maine) on Monday introduced the Reinforcing American-Made Products Act, a bill that strengthens American manufacturing by creating one national “Made in USA” labeling standard.

“Now more than ever, Americans care about the ‘Made in USA’ label; and they should because it shows consumers a product is of high quality and supports good jobs here in America,” Sen. Lee said. “Unfortunately, some states have made it unnecessarily difficult  for businesses to use the ‘Made in USA’ label and empowered trial lawyers to get rich through differing labeling standards. This bill solves that problem by making one national standard for the ‘Made in USA’ label.”

“When a consumer sees a ‘Made in the USA’ label, they know they’re purchasing a high-quality product and supporting American jobs,” said Senator King. “These labels are simple, straightforward ways to help consumers make informed decisions – but confusing differences in state regulations prevent too many American manufacturers from using them. I’m proud to work with Sen. Lee to streamline this process and provide clarity for consumers who want to support American workers and manufacturers.” 

The Reinforcing American-Made Products Act would ensure that the federal government maintains authority in setting country-of-origin labeling standards and that states do not create a patchwork of different standards governing interstate and exported goods. One state has complicated our country standard, setting a rigid 100 percent threshold and exposing manufacturers to unnecessary litigation. The Reinforcing American-Made Products Act would fix that by creating one national standard.

The full bill text can be found here.