The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) has applauded President Trump’s April 18 executive order directing the Federal government to maximize ‘Buy American’ opportunities and review compliance with existing ‘Buy American’ laws and regulations. At a meeting NCTO President and CEO Auggie Tantillo thanked President Trump for making ‘Buy American’ a priority. Tantillo further added buying American is good for the country, US textile industry and for American jobs.

Tantillo says, NCTO have a longstanding policy of supporting Buy American laws. And they intend to work with the Trump administration to help it improve implementation and enforcement of these job creating statutes and regulations.

Since 1941, a ‘Buy American’ law applying to the Department of Defense (DOD) has been supported by American troops, strengthened national security, and incentivized US textile industry investment and innovation. Tantillo added this has been a concrete example of how Buy American laws benefit the US economy and its workers, noting that DOD sourced roughly $1.5 billion in textiles and clothing last year under the Berry Amendment.

The Berry Amendment, 10 U.S.C. 2533a, requires the Department of Defense to buy textiles and clothing made with 100 percent US content and labor. The Kissell Amendment, another Buy American law, 6 USC 453b, requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to buy US made textiles and clothing but currently is only applied within DHS to the US.

NCTO is a Washington-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers.