House Defense Authorization Poised to Weaken Berry, Kissell Amendments, Say Textile and Apparel Groups
Lawmakers should remove language in the House defense authorization bill that would raise the threshold more than 300 percent for contracts exempt from compliance with the U.S. preference provisions of the Berry Amendment and the Kissell Amendment, said textile and apparel domestic manufacturers and importers in recent days. The Berry Amendment requires the Defense Department to give procurement preference to U.S. companies. The Kissell measure applies to the Department of Homeland Security.
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The House Armed Services Committee overwhelmingly approved the National Defense Authorization Bill, HR-1735 (here), on April 30. The legislation would raise the simplified acquisition threshold from $150,000 to $500,000. “The committee believes changing the simplified acquisition threshold to $500,000 will further enable Federal agencies to buy products and services more quickly, more economically, and with a focus on small businesses,” said committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, in a summary embedded in the committee-approved legislation.
The provision may critically harm U.S. domestic industry and related textile, apparel and footwear supply chains, said the letter, which was sent to Thornberry and committee ranking member Adam Smith, D-Wash., the day before the committee approved the bill. “With fierce competition for contracts, the Berry Amendment has spurred substantial innovation in the area of military textiles, apparel, and footwear by domestic manufacturers,” said the letter (here). “Weightsaving carbon fibers, ballistic-resistant fabrics used in personal protective equipment, fire resistant fabrics, medical fabrics, and collapsible fuel bladders are among the thousands of products developed for the military that also have commercial applications.” The letter urged the removal of that threshold increase.