The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has urged the House of Representatives to approve legislation passed by the House Judiciary Committee that would phase out a requirement that the US military purchase uniform articles produced by the Federal Prison Industry (FPI) and open up business contracting opportunities for US apparel companies.

AAFA president and CEO Kevin Burke stated that if the legislation, H.R. 2965, is approved by Congress after the phase-out of their mandatory source, FPI will finally compete with private industry on a more level playing field. “AAFA supports FPI’s commitment to turn inmates into productive citizens upon their release,” Mr Burke said. “But this commitment should not displace private industry jobs. The contracts taken from AAFA members by FPI contributes to the demise of the textile and apparel industrial base, as there is very little commercial work for the remaining domestic companies in this industry, and they predominately subsist on government contracts under the Berry Amendment.”

He noted that those companies are mostly union organised and feels they should not be shut out of the competitive process by a mandatory claim.