Maine Senators Say U.S. Military Should Buy American-Made Athletic Shoes
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King of Maine have written a letter signed by 13 other senators asking the Department of Defense to buy only American-made athletic footwear for military personnel.
The April 19 letter asks President Barack Obama to apply a 1941 law requiring the military to buy American-made products for soldiers whenever possible.
The senators say U.S. footwear manufacturing jobs could be increased if the military applied the same procurement policy to athletic footwear that it uses when buying combat boots and other uniform items.
Collins and King say the military's policy has placed jobs in jeopardy in states such as Maine and Massachusetts, where New Balance Athletic Shoe has offices and plants. New Balance says it's the last surviving American athletic footwear manufacturer.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
