House Armed Services Committee ID's Clothing and Textile Topics for NDAA

The NDAA process has begun in the House of Representatives. The House Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Readiness Report contains three provisions of highest priority.

HASC Subcommittee on Readiness Report on H.R. 8800 (NDAA)

(a) Berry Amendment Requirements for Defense Textiles (Page 227)

The committee reaffirms the critical importance of the Berry Amendment (section 4862 of title 10, United States Code) and Buy American requirements in sustaining a secure and resilient domestic defense textile and apparel industrial base. The committee recognizes that Berry-compliant manufacturers are foundational to military readiness and that the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support (DLA-TS) serves as the Department of Defense’s primary procuring activity for uniforms, protective equipment, and other mission-essential organizational clothing and individual equipment items.

The committee notes that DLA-TS contracting practices play a central role in compliance with domestic sourcing requirements and providing predictable demand signals to domestic manufacturers. Accordingly, the committee expects DLA-TS to rigorously enforce Berry Amendment and Buy American requirements for all covered textile and apparel procurements to protect the domestic industrial base.

Therefore, the committee directs the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in coordination with the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency, to provide a briefing to the House Committee on Armed Services not later than March 31, 2027, on efforts to strengthen compliance with the Berry Amendment and Buy American requirements for textile and apparel items. The briefing shall include:

• (1) an assessment of waiver usage;
• (2) an evaluation of supplier verification and auditing practices;
• (3) steps taken to improve transparency and traceability across the textile supply chain; and
• (4) actions to align contracting strategies with the long-term health of the domestic defense textile industrial base.

(b) Flame Resistant Textile Industrial Base Pages (227-228)

The committee notes that maintaining a stabilized flame-resistant technical textile industrial base is critical to the Department of the Army's ability to support overseas operations, Large Scale Combat Operations (LCSO), and Defense Support of Civil Authorities.

Additionally, the committee recognizes the 2024 Defense Logistics Agency CAMOLAND Clothing and Textile Industrial Base Wargame Report concluded that any disruption to the supply chain that supports the production of combat uniforms would compromise the already weakened clothing and textile industrial base’s ability to produce flame-resistant military uniforms during surge conditions. As such, the committee considers rapidly improving the resilience and production capacity of this segment of the defense industrial base as imperative.

Therefore, the committee directs the Secretary of the Army to provide a briefing to the House Committee on Armed Services not later than January 31, 2027, that includes the following:

• (1) a 5-year notional budget to stabilize the flame-resistant textile industrial base;
• (2) an assessment of wider distribution of the flame-resistant military uniform to soldiers exposed to enhanced thermal risk both domestically and overseas; and
• (3) estimated flame resistant uniform procurement costs, usage rates, and surge requirements needed to support LCSO.

(c) Imported Army Uniforms (Page 228)

The committee reaffirms its long-term support for the Department of Defense’s commitment to giving preference in procurement to domestically produced fabrics, including American-made military uniforms, as required by the Berry Amendment. The committee notes that it has received reports of Army Green Service Uniforms (AGSU) being offered to Active Duty soldiers and Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) cadets for use in official military duties that are not Berry Amendment compliant and have not been certified by the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center as required by AR 670-1. The committee is concerned that, if these reports are accurate, future officers may begin their service wearing uncertified, unauthorized, and visibly different uniforms from those produced under the Army’s Uniform Quality Control Program. The committee is also concerned that the importation of uncertified, foreign-made uniforms could undermine authorized manufacturers and erode the domestic industrial base.

Therefore, the committee directs the Secretary of the Army, in coordination with Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1 (Personnel) and the Natick Soldier Systems Center, to provide a briefing to the House Committee on Armed Services not later than June 1, 2027, on:

• (1) the prevalence and scope of imported, uncertified AGSU uniforms being offered by outside vendors on military installations and ROTC programs;
• (2) current requirements for Berry Amendment certification of Army uniforms;
• (3) the current process for inspecting and ensuring soldier-owned uniforms are Berry-compliant and authorized for official use; and
• (4) any recommendations for additional instructions or guidance, such as an All Army Activities or similar directive, to ensure that only certified uniform items are authorized.