To change the standard so that products with more than de minimis foreign content can qualify as U.S.-made would be deceptive to consumers and unfair to American workers. The increasing globalization of the economy is not justification for weakening this important standard.
Many products continue to be made in the United States with U.S. materials and labor.
Illinois is home to many such manufacturers that have invested in U.S. plants and labor to manufacture high-quality products that are all or virtually all of U.S. origin. To change the standard would be unfair to companies that have made significant investments to meet the current standard, and would reward companies that rely on foreign labor and materials. At first blush, these manufacturers seem to have a reasonable argument. However, after examining the options available to such manufacturers under current law, and the long-term impact of a relaxed standard, it is clear that weakening the Commission's standard will have a negative impact on American workers and serve to mislead or deceive American consumers.