U.S. textile association supports House committee NDAA passage

Washington — The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers, issued a statement commending the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) for passing the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Officials from NCTO, which advocates for the spectrum of U.S. textiles from fiber to finished sewn products, said the House NDAA bill contains reporting requirements aimed at strengthening the Berry Amendment’s 100% made in America rules.

“We applaud the HASC for passing the FY 2027 NDAA and including provisions that, if enacted, will lead to increased government purchases of more Made in America textiles and bolster domestic manufacturing and meet the mission-critical needs of our Armed Forces,” said Kim Glas, president and CEO of NCTO. “We appreciate the leadership of Congressman Don Davis (D-NC) and Congressman Pat Harrigan (R-NC), co-chairs of the House Berry Amendment Caucus, who led efforts to strengthen Berry in the House this year.

“These provisions reinforce a simple but vital principle: America’s military should be equipped with American-made products whenever possible. Strong enforcement of the Berry Amendment helps ensure our armed forces have access to reliable, high-quality textile products while sustaining the domestic manufacturing base that supports military readiness and national security.”

See also:

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NDAA authorizes funding levels and provides authorities for the U.S. military, includes several important reporting requirements directing divisions within the Department of Defense (DOD) to strengthen compliance with the Berry Amendment and Buy American requirements for textiles and apparel, stated NCTO officials. The Berry Amendment requires the DOD to purchase 100% U.S.-made textiles and clothing.

Additional measures in the legislation directs the DOD to fulfill the following reporting requirements: an assessment of waiver usage under the Berry Amendment, evaluation of supplier verification and auditing practices and actions to align contracting strategies with the long-term health of the domestic defense textile industrial base; an assessment of the feasibility of narrowing the exception for Berry Amendment small purchases from $150,000 to $20,000, broadly and specifically for textiles; an examination of  flame-resistant textile production capacity and resilience; and an examination of potential non-Berry compliant Army service uniforms, stated officials.

“The U.S. textile industry supplies approximately $1.8 billion in advanced textile materials and components to our military each year. These reporting requirements send an important signal that Congress recognizes the strategic value of maintaining a strong domestic textile supply chain and is committed to protecting it,” said Glas. “NCTO looks forward to working with House and Senate lawmakers to ensure these provisions are included in the final FY 2027 NDAA and to advance policies that strengthen the domestic textile industrial base.”