Lawmakers "seeing red" over reports that Team USA is sporting uniforms made in China escalated their pressure campaign against the U.S. Olympic Committee Friday, announcing they'll introduce a bill next week requiring the uniforms to be American-made.
Six U.S. senators put out a statement late Friday detailing the bill, saying it will require the committee to adopt a policy that ensures ceremonial uniforms are "sewn or assembled in the United States."
"The U.S. Olympic Committee was 100 percent wrong to outsource the manufacturing of U.S. uniforms for the opening ceremony to China," Sen. Bob Casey. D-Pa., one of the sponsors, said.
The move came a day after several congressional leaders assailed the Olympic Committee, with Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid saying the panel should be "ashamed" and calling for the Chinese-made uniforms to be burned.
The lawmakers introducing the bill signaled it would be applied to future Olympics, but continued to call on the Olympic Committee to "do the right thing for this summer's team" by soliciting new, made-in-the-USA uniforms.
Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., called the situation "appalling" and "embarrassing."
In a statement, the U.S. Olympic Committee said it was "proud" of its partnership with producer Ralph Lauren.
"Unlike most Olympic teams around the world, the U.S. Olympic Team is privately funded and we're grateful for the support of our sponsors," the statement read. "We're proud of our partnership with Ralph Lauren, an iconic American company, and excited to watch America's finest athletes compete at the upcoming Games in London."
But Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who is also sponsoring the new bill, called on the committee to use an American company, suggesting Rochester-based suit maker Hickey Freeman as an ideal candidate for the job. He also said the New York state firm would be "thrilled" to partner with Ralph Lauren provided Ralph Lauren wants to make the uniforms stateside.
"Team USA is seeing red instead of red white and blue, and it is clear that the U.S. Olympic Committee should start over and provide the U.S.-made uniforms these athletes deserve," said Schumer.
With corporate sponsor Ralph Lauren designing, the job of making the red, white and blue uniforms fell to its apparel contractors in China, the New York Daily News reported. Every item in the uniforms that the U.S. athletes will wear at the opening ceremony in London will carry an overseas label.
Ralph Lauren, in a statement, said the outfits aim to embody "the spirit of American athleticism and sportsmanship."
