FTC: Made In The USA Comments Concerning Louis A. Rigali--P894219 MARCH March Instruments. Inc. May 9, 1997 Made in the USA Policy Comment Please add my name and the name of my company among those who are against legislation that would permit labeling products as being made in the US when only 25-75% of that product is made in the U.S.. I can understand the pressure that you may be getting from companies who take advantage of low labor costs and minimum environmental regulations to set up the major portion of their manufacture outside the US and then export back to the U.S.. These companies know that the American Consumer would prefer to purchase products made in the U.S. because it protects their jobs and communities. Unable to convince the consumer that it is in their best interest for products to be made outside the U.S. these same companies will now lobby, make contributions to various politicians, to enact legislation that is intended to confuse and mislead consumers as to the "made where" content of their products. In addition, legislation that is intended to mislead country of origin labeling is unfair to those American companies who choose to overcome higher wages and appropriate environmental legislation to produce their product in the U.S.. You will be penalizing a very large number of companies that can and do manufacture their products in the U.S. because the Made in the USA label will lose its meaning. There is no valid reason other that to deceive by allowing a label to specify "Made in the USA" when less than 90% of the value in that product is made outside the US. Please use your best efforts to ensure that the American public is protected against false and misleading advertisement. Encourage honest labeling and resist the pressure of those companies that are lobbying for changes that are contrary to the best interest of the consumer. Sincerely, L A RigaliLouis A. Rigali E-mail: march@plasmod.com. Web Site: www.plasmod.com |