Herb Kohl: “I understand that the FTC has proposed to weaken the standard for "Made in the U.S.A." advertising from "all to…”

“I understand that the FTC has proposed to weaken the standard for "Made in the U.S.A." advertising from "all to virtually all" U.S. content to "substantially all" U.S. content. The proposal sets forth two alternative safe harbors for "Made in the U.S.A." claims: 75 percent U.S. content--U.S. manufacturing costs represent 75 percent of the total manufacturing costs for the product and the product was last substantially transformed in the U.S. or; two level substantial transformation--The product was last substantially transformed in the United States and all significant inputs were last substantially transformed in the United States. I also understand that the new proposed guidelines would have the effect of allowing products made with 25 percent or more foreign labor and foreign materials to be labeled "Made in the U.S.A." In some cases, the FTC's proposed guidelines would allow products made entirely with foreign materials and foreign components to be labeled "Made in the U.S.A." The "Made in the U.S.A." label, a time-honored symbol of American pride and craftsmanship, is an extremely valuable asset to manufacturers.”