IIB
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 725
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 15, 2001
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation
AN ACT
To direct the Secretary of Commerce to provide for the
establishment of a toll-free telephone number to assist
consumers in determining whether products are Amer-
ican-made.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Made in America In-
formation Act’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUM-
BER PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—If the Secretary of Commerce
determines, on the basis of comments submitted in the
rulemaking under section 3, that—
(1) interest among manufacturers is sufficient
to warrant the establishment of a 3-year toll-free
telephone number pilot program; and
(2) manufacturers will provide fees under sec-
tion 3(c) so that the program will operate without
cost to the Federal Government,
the Secretary shall establish such program solely to help
inform consumers whether a product is ‘‘Made in Amer-
ica’’. The Secretary shall publish the toll-free telephone
number by notice in the Federal Register.
(b) CONTRACT.—The Secretary of Commerce shall
enter into a contract for—
(1) the establishment and operation of the toll-
free telephone number pilot program provided for in
subsection (a); and
(2) the registration of products pursuant to
regulations issued under section 3,
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(A) in the case of a manufacturer, not be
greater than the cost of registering the manu-
facturer’s product and providing product infor-
mation directly attributable to such manufac-
turer; and
(B) in the case of the total amount of fees,
not be greater than the total amount appro-
priated to the Secretary of Commerce for sala-
ries and expenses directly attributable to reg-
istration of manufacturers and having products
included in the information provided under sec-
tion 2(a).
(3) CREDITING AND AVAILABILITY OF FEES.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Fees collected for a fis-
cal year pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be
credited to the appropriation account for sala-
ries and expenses of the Secretary of Commerce
and shall be available in accordance with appro-
priation Acts until expended without fiscal year
limitation.
(B) COLLECTIONS
AND
APPROPRIATION
ACTS.—The fees imposed under paragraph
(1)—
(i) shall be collected in each fiscal
year in an amount equal to the amount
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specified in appropriation Acts for such fis-
cal year; and
(ii) shall only be collected and avail-
able for the costs described in paragraph
(2).
SEC. 4. PENALTY.
Any manufacturer of a product who knowingly reg-
isters a product under section 3 which is not ‘‘Made in
America’’—
(1) shall be subject to a civil penalty of not
more than $7500 which the Secretary of Commerce
may assess and collect; and
(2) shall not offer such product for purchase by
the Federal Government.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) MADE IN AMERICA.—The term ‘‘Made in
America’’ has the meaning given unqualified ‘‘Made
in U.S.A.’’ or ‘‘Made in America’’ claims for pur-
poses of laws administered by the Federal Trade
Commission.
(2) PRODUCT.—The term ‘‘product’’ means a
product with a retail value of at least $250.
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SEC. 6. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this Act or in any regulation promulgated
under section 3 shall be construed to alter, amend, modify,
or otherwise affect in any way, the Federal Trade Com-
mission Act or the opinions, decisions, rules, or any guid-
ance issued by the Federal Trade Commission regarding
the use of unqualified ‘‘Made in U.S.A.’’ or ‘‘Made in
America’’ claims in labels on products introduced, deliv-
ered for introduction, sold, advertised, or offered for sale
in commerce.
Passed the House of Representatives March 14,
2001.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.