Controversy is already surrounding the Olympic games, specifically the posh uniforms Team USA will be sporting in the opening ceremonies in London on July 27.
Last week, ABC Nightly News, in their segment “Made in America,” reported that the uniforms were in fact not made in America, but in China. The sponsor and donor of these uniforms is the iconic patriotic brand Ralph Lauren.
Congress is weighing in on the controversy from both sides of the aisle. Some question, “what were they thinking?” while others have suggested burning the uniforms and starting all over again with a manufacturer here in America. Either way, both sides of the aisle agree that it is wrong to have the uniforms made in a country other than the USA.
In an effort to prevent this outsourcing from happening again, a group of six Democratic senators will introduce the “Team USA Made in America Act of 2012” this week, requiring the U.S. Olympic Committee to dress Team USA in clothing made in America for all future Olympic games.
“Why shouldn’t we have pride, not only in the American athletes, but in the American manufacturers and laborers who are the backbone of our country,” Nanette Lepore, a New York fashion designer who is known for making her clothing in America, told ABC.
It’s important to note that if all the Olympic themed clothing and mementos were made in the USA, it would have kept $1 billion from heading overseas. That’s thousands of manufacturing jobs that would be brought back to the states!
According to a July 14 statement made by Ralph Lauren, they were willing to oblige for future games. However, the response didn’t answer the question, “Why?” Why didn’t they manufacture the uniforms in the USA for these games and those in the past preserving American jobs and preventing more funds from being shipped overseas?
The statement reads: “Ralph Lauren promises to lead the conversation within our industry and our government to address the issue to increase manufacturing in the United States. We have committed to producing the Opening and Closing ceremony Team USA uniforms in the United States that will be worn in the 2014 Olympic Games.”
In a statement late Friday, the United States Olympic Committee confirmed that it’s committed to ensuring that the uniforms for the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games are manufactured domestically.
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