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Congressman Pushing Legislation To Require National Park Gift Shops To Carry "Made In America" Items

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A congressman from New York has introduced legislation that would require that items in gift shops and visitor centers across the National Park System be made in America. The Works Progress Administration reproductions Doug Leen creates in the form of posters, stickers, and notecards would fit the bill.

A congressman from New York hopes to bolster pride in America, and boost American manufacturers, by pushing legislation that would require gift shops throughout the National Park System to carry items made in America.

“When I walk into one of the gift shops at our monuments or national parks, it’s deeply deflating that nearly every item – from American flag mugs to Theodore Roosevelt teddy bears – comes with a ‘Made in China’ sticker,” said Rep. Steve Israel, D-New York. “If we want American manufacturing to thrive again, then we need to show that we believe in it. That’s why I’m introducing legislation to bring ‘Made in the USA’ back to our nation’s proudest sites.”

The legislation, the American Parks, American Products Act, was introduced last Thursday. It would require that all items sold in gift shops, and visitors centers within the National Park System be made in America.

According to the congressman's staff, a large number of items sold at national parks and monuments are produced abroad, many in China. The current U.S. trade deficit with China, his staff noted, is at a record high with a $273 billion trade gap between what the U.S. imports versus exports from China. The overall U.S. trade deficit is $497 billion and that was projected to grow in 2011.

According to ABC News, “Economists say that if every one of us spent an extra $3.33 on U.S.-made goods every year, it would create nearly 10,000 new jobs in this country.”

Congressman Israel's staff says the Park Service administers more than 500 concessions contracts, with a gross annual valuation of more than $1 billion.

However, his staff could not say Friday what it would cost park concessionaires and cooperating associations to switch from items made abroad to those made in America.

Back on Long Island in the congressman's district, union leaders praised the legislation.

“The Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, would like to thank Congressman Israel for his commitment to promoting American made products.  His efforts will support the livelihoods of millions of hard-working Americans, including union members, who are capable of building, maintaining and servicing the American economy," said Roger Clayman, the executive director of the Long Island Federation of Labor. "There are 25 million people in our country who need full-time work, and there is plenty of work to be done."

New York, alone, has 22 units of the National Park System that were visited by more than 17.5 million people in 2010, according to the Democrat's staff.

In 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the “Buy American Act” into law, his staff noted. The legislation created a preference for American goods in government purchases. The American Parks, American Products Act  follows the precedent set by FDR of encouraging domestic manufacturing and job creation through government purchases, it added.

Comments

Congressman Israel is trying to be bi-winning.
His idea is short sided and will only cause more negative impact on our already struggling economy.
Think of all the people he will put out of work, customs brokers, shipyard workers, crane operators, shipping company drivers, park service employees, and on and on.
USA made souvenirs would cost a small fortune and would be unaffordable to 99% of all park visitors.
Concessionaires and visitor centers would have massive layoffs and eventually go out of business.
The last thing we need is more Government rules to keep us spiraling downward.

I thought Charlie Sheen was a loon.


The park concessionaires cannot even find the labor force domestically to staff the seasonal positions they have in the parks and thus they import labor.
The supply sources for products that people want at a price that allows them to make a profit don't exist in the USA and thus they sell imported products.
The greater percentage of concession retail sales are to foreign visitors so their customers are imported.
Sounds like importing is the name of the game from start to finish.
What is really the problem here anyway, it sounds like $.85 - $.90 out of ever retail dollar remains in our domestic ecconomy. Maybe we need to change the definition of MADE IN THE USA.


We own one of the companies currently selling product to the National Park bookstores. The basic item itself is made in China. There are currently no manufacturers in the US making these items and since they are all handwork, there never will be. Once we receive the basic item (cost around $ .50), we then repackage it using local printing and local labor (we emply 6 people part time to do this), pass it on to the parks for around $1.50, where they retail the tiem for $4.95. The profit from this item supports jobs at the stores in the parks and also is funnelled back into the park for educational programs. So you can see that of the $5 in spending created, only a mere 10% went to China. (Actually less, because of that $ .50. $ .06 went to customs duty and $ .06 went to Fed Ex shipping)
We have created 4 jobs in our business which would all be lost if this misinformed act passes, and we are very small. There would be thousands of jobs lost if this passes - not jobs created -becausethe types of products lost are for the most part simply not made here nor would they be given the low valueof these items.
Also consider that a very high percentage of sales of these items is to foreign tourists, bringing more money into the country (selling a $5 item to a tourist for which only $ .50 left the country seems like a great deal to me).



Thanks, Tom. That provides a bit of real-world context to it, above the good idea/bad idea arguments. 


Mighty American of all of you to find every excuse in the book to keep your neighbors out of work. the reason we are out of jobs is because very little is made in America. What is made in America, is overshadowed by cheap stuff coming from overseas. Our economy will never move forward with excuses. It starts with consumers demanding and buying American made producst whenever possible. I am with the Congressman. It is un-American to being buying a U.S. flag made in China. Do you think the Chinese buy Chinese flags made in America.....probably not, apparently they aren't as dumb as we are.  


Mostly evrey thing I got form china is broken. I hate it all are jobs are going over seas.


we have a unevean trade balance with china we need to change that to where they have a even trade balance with the U.S.


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