WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week U.S. Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC) joined Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK) to introduce the Genuine American Flag Act, legislation that would prohibit foreign-made U.S. flags, regardless of size, from being imported for sale inside the United States.

“This legislation should be a no-brainer,” Congressman Jones said. “Especially at a time when our nation’s economy is hurting, it is just plain commonsense that the American flag – the symbol of our nation’s strength and unity – should be manufactured here in the United States.”

According to the Flag Manufacturers Association of America, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that $5.3 million worth of U.S. flags were imported from foreign countries in 2006, and that figure has remained stable for the past several years. Notably, most of these imports were from China where weak production standards and low-wage workers produce cheaper versions of the flag than their American counterparts.

“Many Americans are unaware that the flags they proudly display this President’s Day could actually be made in places like China,” said Congressman Boren. “The most important symbol of the United States should be made by U.S. companies that employ hard-working U.S. citizens. It is imperative that we pass this legislation before foreign companies continue to gain a foothold in the manufacture of U.S. flags.”