American-Made Uniforms Needed

AMERICAN-MADE UNIFORMS NEEDED -- (House of Representatives - December 07, 2005)

(Mr. DUNCAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, last week The Washington Post reported that our U.S. Border Patrol agents are wearing uniforms manufactured in Mexico. One agent said, ``It is embarrassing to be protecting the U.S.-Mexico border and be wearing a uniform made in Mexico.''

There are plenty of companies all over this country that could make these uniforms, yet some brilliant bureaucrat has decided to give jobs to Mexicans rather than to Americans. I have nothing whatsoever against Mexico, but the first obligation of the U.S. Congress should be to our own people.

Not only is this a jobs issue, but there are security implications as well. Having these uniforms made in another country makes it more likely that these uniforms could end up on a black market and be sold to drug traffickers, illegals wanting to cross the border, or even worse, terrorists trying to come here.

I hope all Federal officials will start trying to give as much business as possible to American companies and workers instead of giving even more jobs to those in other countries.

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