Industry Supported Provisions Will Strengthen and Promote American Industrial Base
MARBLEHEAD, MA (November 10, 2021) – The Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC)
commends the United States Congress for including several provisions to support and strengthen the
domestic industrial base within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. By including provisions that
prioritize the procurement of American-made personal protective equipment (PPE) and critical safety
items, Congress has acknowledged the urgent need to manufacturing quality, American made goods to
respond to current and future crisis. These provisions take an important step toward ending our
reliance on low quality foreign-made products.
“Title IX – Build America, Buy America” of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes the
WPRC supported Make PPE in America Act, originally co-sponsored by Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC), Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH), and Rep. Marrinnette Miller-Meeks (R-IA). This provision requires that the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Defense, Department of Education, and Department of Veterans Affairs issue two-year contracts to incentivize investment in domestic PPE production.
The WPRC worked diligently with industry partners and original sponsors to identify and develop an
inclusive list of critical safety items that were unavailable domestically at the outset of the Coronavirus
pandemic. This includes surgical masks, respirator masks and powered air purifying respirators and
required filters, face shields and protective eyewear, gloves, disposable and reusable surgical and
isolation gowns, and head and foot coverings, or other gear or clothing used to protect an individual
from the transmission of disease. Items assembled outside the US must still contain only materials and
components that are grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the US.
WPRC Executive Director David Costello said, “Inclusion of this provision in the infrastructure package
is a significant victory for the American industrial base and a strong complement to other legislative
proposals designed to ensure domestic companies have the resources available to produce critical
safety items in the U.S. Requiring two-year procurement contracts and extending Berry Amendment
requirements to the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services,
and Department of Veterans Affairs will have a significant positive impact on Americans companies to
plan for future challenges and improves the national security of the United States.”
Also, within Title IX is a WPRC-supported provision that requires the General Services Administration
(GSA) to make public any waivers issued for non-Buy American compliant contract awards. Increasing
transparency and public awareness of non-domestic federal procurements will help companies
identify gaps within domestic production and meet demand with higher quality American-made products. The public disclosure of items that are not available in the United States is a model for whole of government procurement policy. WPRC continues to support provisions that increase procurement transparency and expand the range of opportunities for the domestic industrial base to decrease our reliance on foreign-made gear and equipment.
About the Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition
The WPRC is the unified voice of advocacy for the individual and unit level equipment needs of the
warfighter and peacekeeper. The leading tactical equipment, apparel, textiles, materials, and
technology companies of the WPRC are committed to ensuring that American service members,
Homeland Security personnel, and frontline healthcare workers are provided with superior products
built by a robust industrial base, now and in the future. For a complete listing of WPRC member
companies, please visit www.warriorprotection.net.