VIDEO: Budzinski, Bost, Golden, Duckworth, King, and Collins Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Support Domestic Military Footwear Production

WASHINGTON, DC – Today U.S. Representatives Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Mike Bost (R-IL-12) and Jared Golden (D-ME-02), as well as Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME),and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced legislation to ensure our troops are wearing high quality, safe and reliable footwear as part of their uniforms, all while strengthening our national security and creating good-paying jobs here in the United States. The Better Outfitting Our Troops (BOOTs) Act would expand current uniform regulations to ensure the combat boots worn by our servicemembers are entirely manufactured in America and made with U.S.-sourced materials. To learn more, see HERE.

“Belleville Boots has been crafting top-quality military footwear for our service members since World War I. But like so many American manufacturers, they’re facing unfair competition from a flood of cheap, low-quality imports—often from countries like China. This not only undercuts American jobs, but it also poses real risks to troop readiness and our national security,” said Budzinski. “The BOOTs Act is a strong, bipartisan response to that threat. This legislation will safeguard our service members while good-paying manufacturing jobs in Belleville and across the country.”  

“Ensuring our military’s readiness means every part of our servicemembers’ uniforms must be functional, reliable and safe,” said Duckworth. “Mandating that all optional combat boots worn be American made means not only that our troops wear high-quality footwear to better prevent injury, but it also means we’re reducing our reliance on foreign supply chains, bolstering our defense industrial base and creating good-paying jobs for small and large manufacturers right here at home. I’m proud to introduce this commonsense legislation.”

“As a Marine, the father of a Marine, and the grandfather of a Marine, I know firsthand how important it is that our troops have the high-quality boots required to face tough terrain,” said Bost. “This legislation will better protect our troops by ensuring their equipment is consistent, safe, and produced on American soil.”

“Our military depends on the availability, accessibility, safety and quality of the uniforms worn by our servicemembers,” said King. “The bipartisan BOOTs Act will ensure that all combat boots and parts worn by the American military are made in the USA—both boosting our domestic economy and ensuring the safety of the boots supply chain. Thank you to my colleagues for putting our servicemembers first.”

“American warfighters should be supplied with American gear, including footwear,” said Golden. “Ensuring domestic suppliers are first in line to provide equipment to our service members is good for troops, good for the jobs, and good for domestic manufacturing. I’m proud to cosponsor the BOOTs Act to provide American-made footwear to the men and women who volunteer to defend America.”

“Requiring our servicemembers’ combat boots to be produced in the United States with American materials improves military readiness and strengthens our defense industrial base,” said Collins. “This bipartisan bill would help avoid supply disruptions in times of crisis, create more jobs and investment domestically, and better outfit our nation’s troops.” 

The BOOTs Act would mandate that all optional combat boots worn by U.S. military servicemembers are Berry Amendment-compliant, or 100 percent made in the United States with U.S.-sourced materials.

Currently, Department of Defense (DoD) regulations permit soldiers to purchase foreign-made boots that mimic the appearance of regulation boots but fall far short in quality and durability. Not only does this leave our troops vulnerable to injury; it also undermines our domestic defense supply chain. This loophole has allowed for a major increase in low quality, foreign-made boots that has led to a significant decline in demand from American companies, which in turn reduces domestic manufacturing capabilities. In the event of a major conflict, the current clothing and textile supply chain would be too fragile to meet demand.

“The BOOTs Act closes a gap in the Berry Amendment by requiring all military footwear sold through Department of Defense exchanges to be domestically sourced. Currently, foreign-made boots undermine military readiness and disadvantage American manufacturers, weakening the U.S. supply chain. This commonsense change ensures uniform consistency, reduces confusion for servicemembers, and supports the domestic industrial base as manufacturers rebuild capacity,”said Bill McCann, Executive Director of the United States Footwear Manufacturers Association.

This legislation is endorsed by A&E, American Sole, Belleville Boot Co., Draper Knitting, Emtex Global, G-Form, Glacial Lakes Rubber and Plastics, Grassland Stamping, Hope Global Manufacturing, Mississippi TanTec, McRae Footwear, Meramec, Meridian, Milliken, New Balance Athletics, PolyLabs, Rubberlite, Signet Mills, SX Industries, Thorogood, Unifi, Vibram Corporation, W.L. Gore and Associates, Worthen Industries, YKK USA, American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), U.S. Footwear Manufacturers Association (USFMA) and Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC).

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