Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA), Chairman of the HomelandSecuritySubcommittee onOversight, Management, & Accountability,and Rep.BrianMast(R-FL),introduced legislationto support U.S. small businesses by increasing the ability of the DepartmentofHomelandSecurity(DHS)to purchase high-quality, American-made uniforms and personal protective equipment for frontline personnel.
The HomelandProcurementReformAct(HOPRAct)would:
- Require that at least one-third of funds meant for the purchasing of DHS uniforms and protective equipment go to small businesses in the U.S.
- Encourage the procurement of higher quality uniforms and equipment at fair prices.
- Reform the way DHS procures uniform and protective equipment to support the needs of its mission-critical agencies.
- Strengthen supply chain security for any item bearing the official DHS insignia manufactured outside the U.S.
- Direct a study of the adequacy of employee uniform allowances.
“American small businesses employ nearly fifty percent of the private sector workforce but only receive less than twenty-six percent of Federal government contracts. The HOPR Act is necessary to close this gap, while ensuring that DHS has high-quality uniforms and protective equipment for frontline personnel,” said
Chairman Correa. “This legislation is also a step in the right direction to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign-made personal protective equipment – a persistent problem that came to light during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is common-sense, bipartisan legislation and I hope we can get it passed soon. I thank Congressman Mast for working with me on it.”
“As our economy continues to recover in the aftermath of COVID-19, I am continuing to fight in Congress to make sure our small businesses have every resource they need to compete and get stronger every day,” Rep.Mastsaid.“This bill would do just that by increasing the ability of DHS to purchase high-quality, American-made uniforms and PPE for frontline workers from America’s small businesses.”
The HOPR Act is the companion to S. 1009, as introduced by Senators Shaheen (D- NH), Hassan (D-NH), Moran (R-KS), and Rounds (R-SD). This legislation is endorsed by the Warrior Protection & Readiness Coalition.
Executive Director of the Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition, David Costello added, “OurassociationofU.S.manufacturersispleasedtosupportthis bipartisan effort to encourage the Department of Homeland Security toprocure American-madepersonalprotectiveequipment,uniformsandfootwear.ProvidingHomelandSecuritywiththehighestquality,domesticallymanufacturedproductsiscriticalforensuringtheirsafetyandstrengthensthenationalsecurityoftheUnitedStates.Thisthoughtfullegislationwillresultinthe creation of manufacturing jobs throughout the country and we lookforwardtoworkingwith CongresstoensurethefinalpassageoftheHOPRActintolaw.”
The HOPR Act is co-sponsored by Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Chris Pappas (D-NH).