Chinese-made flags banned in US military

A new law in the US has banned flying Chinese-made American flags over US military bases and carrying them in processions.

The law, which is part of the 2014 omnibus appropriations bill, requires the US Department of Defense to buy flags which are 100 percent “Made in America.”

The United States imports an estimated $3.3 million worth of US flags from China each year.

However, the change will cost American taxpayers a considerable amount of money as Chinese-made flags cost significantly less than those which are 100 percent American-made.

“I thought it was appalling our Department of Defense would have flags made in other countries,” said Representative Mike Thompson (D-California) who wrote the legislation.

“I am proud to have worked to pass this law so that our men and women in uniform never have to fight under a US flag made overseas, and so that our Defense Department never again spends American tax dollars on a US flag made overseas,” he added.

Meanwhile, other US government agencies are still allowed to buy flags which are not American-made as US lawmakers did not pass a similar bill which would ban the use of foreign-made US flags in all federal buildings.

ISH/ISH