American elected officials on both sides of the aisle expressed their fury Thursday over American Olympic athletes wearing uniforms manufactured in China.
Olympic sponsor Ralph Lauren designed the clothing to be worn at the opening and closing ceremonies of the London Olympics later this month, as well as the casual wear for the athletes. Lauren opted for Chinese manufacturers.
Critics feel that the Olympics should have been used as a boon to American manufacturing.
Senator Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) and Congressman Steve Israel (D-NY), for example, have issued a joint statement, in which they claim that Olympic-related manufacturing would have provided as much as $1 billion to US manufacturing.
In the statement, Senator Gillibrand said, "When America's best athletes are representing our country on the world stage, we should be representing the best of American-made goods. The pride of our Olympic athletes goes hand in hand with the pride of American innovation and manufacturing. We shouldn't be going to the world stage with anything less. From head to toe, Team USA must be made in America."
Representative Israel said, "It is disgraceful that our American athletes will be wearing Chinese-made uniforms during the Olympics. We should be promoting American-made goods and supporting our domestic manufacturers and laborers. I urge the US Olympic Committee to reconsider their decision."
The full text of their statement, which includes the letter they wrote to Olympic Committee Chairman Lawrence F. Probst, can be viewed here.
It seems the committee, however, is striking a defiant note. Its president, Patrick Sandusky, said via Twitter, "All this talk about olympic uniforms made in China is non sense. Polo RL is an American company that supports American athletes."
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