An obscure law from 1941 may force the U.S. Department of Defense to purchase sneakers from New Balance.
Athletic footwear has long been exempt from what is known as the "Berry Amendment" — which stipulates that the Pentagon must purchase American-made gear and uniforms for its recruits — because it was difficult to find brands made entirely in the United States, according to The Boston Globe.
However, legislators have rallied behind Boston shoemaker New Balance, noting that the brand has the capability to make all sneaker components in the country.
If signed into law, the bill by Massachusetts Rep. Niki Tsongas and Maine Rep. Bruce Poliquin would mean that around 150,000 pairs of shoes would be manufactured in America for the military. In addition, the increased production demand would boost the number of jobs at New Balance's five factories in Massachusetts and Maine.
"If you're going off to fight on behalf of our country, you should be wearing items that are made in our country," Tsongas told The Boston Globe.