Lois Capps: “the Army is preparing to outfit every soldier with a new black beret. Some people oppose this policy, but whether or not…”

“the Army is preparing to outfit every soldier with a new black beret. Some people oppose this policy, but whether or not it is a good idea, one thing we can all agree on is that these berets should be made in the United States. So why is the Pentagon acquiring 2.5 million berets from companies who make these berets in countries like China, Romania and Sri Lanka? This is very troubling. The Pentagon has waived the law which requires domestic production of military uniforms. This decision is costing American companies millions of dollars; and even worse, the overseas berets may actually be more expensive so U.S. taxpayers will get stuck with a bigger bill. Mr. Speaker, I am circulating a letter to President Bush urging him to review this shortsighted decision. I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join with me. ____________________”