The White House announced on Mar. 13 a new executive order aimed at ensuring that products advertised as “Made in America” are genuinely manufactured in the United States.
The order addresses concerns about misleading claims by foreign manufacturers and sellers who market their products to American consumers as being made domestically, when they are actually produced abroad. The policy seeks to protect both consumers and American businesses that invest in domestic manufacturing.
Under the new directive, the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is instructed to prioritize enforcement actions against sellers or manufacturers whose claims of American origin violate existing laws. The FTC may also consider proposing regulations that would require online marketplaces to establish procedures for verifying country-of-origin claims, with failure to do so potentially constituting an unfair or deceptive act under the Federal Trade Commission Act.
Additionally, all agencies overseeing government-wide acquisition contracts are directed to periodically review and verify American-origin claims for products acquired through these contracts. If contractors or vendors are found misrepresenting a product’s American origin, those products will be removed from government procurement availability and referred to the Department of Justice for possible action under the False Claims Act.
The order also encourages agencies with oversight of country-of-origin labeling to consider regulations promoting voluntary labeling for U.S.-made products and calls for interagency consultation to ensure consistent guidance for businesses. Implementation of this order is subject to applicable law and available appropriations, and it does not create any enforceable rights against the United States.
