Military Recruits Still Not Using American-made Sneakers

Last April, the Department of Defense announced military recruits would start using athletic shoes 100 percent made and manufactured in America, in recognition of a law Congress passed in 1941 requiring the department give preference to American-made goods. Over a year after the announcement, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines have still not purchased a single sneaker that meets the exacting standards of the 1941 law, known as the Berry Amendment. Matthew LeBretton, New Balance's vice president of public affairs, is convinced the delays are deliberate "payback" for companies like New Balance that have been vocally lobbying for the change for years. "The military is a bureaucracy like any other agency in the federal government," he said, stressing that his association is remaining "neutral" in the fight because some of its members benefit from the policy change while others don't. Catherine Michael, spokeswoman for the American Apparel and Footwear Association, said the "sluggish and drawn-out process" is preventing domestic shoemakers from hiring and retaining U.S.

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