Ted Budd: “One of the biggest lessons that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us is the importance of the phrase ``Made in America.''…”

“One of the biggest lessons that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us is the importance of the phrase ``Made in America.'' In my home State of North Carolina, we are a national leader in textile manufacturing, and we have a rich history of producing high- quality products. That is why North Carolina has been at the forefront of helping our first responders and frontline medical personnel get the protective equipment that they need to effectively battle the virus. For these reasons, I want to see our protective equipment made in the United States and not in a country controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. For the last two decades, most observers have predicted that either the United States or China will lead the world in the 21st century. In the early 2000s, we saw China as a friendly competitor that we could work with economically. However, in recent years, the actions of the Chinese Communist Party have revealed the true colors of an authoritarian force. They are not our friends, and they are not a force for good in this world. Given the fact that it was China that mishandled the virus, and China that allowed it to spread, and China that lied to the world about it, how acceptable is it that the American people should be reliant on China for the essential personal protective equipment that we need to fight the virus? That would be like having to beg the arsonist to help you put out the fire that they started.…”