To establish a toll free number in the Department of Commerce to assist consumers in determining if products are American-made.
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| Date | Chamber | What was voted on | Result | Yes–No | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 4, 1996 | House · vote #402 | Suspend the rules and pass, as amended | Passed | 367–9 | See who voted → |
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Received in the Senate and read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Directs the Secretary of Commerce, upon determining on the basis of comments submitted in rulemaking under this Act that interest among manufacturers is sufficient to warrant the establishment of a three-year toll-free number pilot program and manufacturers will provide fees so that the program will operate without cost to the Federal Government, to: (1) establish such program solely to help inform consumers whether a product is made in America or the equivalent thereof; and (2) publish the toll-free number in the Federal Register.
Requires: (1) the Secretary to contract for the establishment and operation of such pilot program and the registration of products; and (2) such number to be used solely to inform consumers as to whether products are American made. Requires consumers to be informed that such registration does not mean that: (1) the product is endorsed or approved by the Government; (2) the Secretary has conducted any investigation to confirm that the product meets the definition of American made; or (3) the product contains 100 percent U.S. content.
(Sec. 2) Directs the Secretary to propose regulations to: (1) establish a procedure under which the manufacturer of a product may voluntarily register such product as complying with such definition and have such product included in the information available through the toll-free number; (2) establish, assess, and collect a fee to cover all costs of registering products and including registered products in information provided under the number; (3) establish the pilot program; and (4) solicit views from the private sector concerning the level of interest of manufacturers in registering products. Requires the Secretary to promulgate such regulations if the pilot program and product registration is determined to be warranted.
Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) registration fees; and (2) penalties for knowingly registering a product which is not American made.
- Engrossed in House Formatted Text PDF
- Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF
- Referred in Senate Formatted Text PDF
- Reported in House Formatted Text PDF
Cite this page
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 447: To establish a toll free number in the Department of Commerce to assist consumers in determining if products are American-made.. 104th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-447/
"H.R. 447: To establish a toll free number in the Department of Commerce to assist consumers in determining if products are American-made.." 104th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-447/.
H.R. 447, 104th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-447/.
[H.R. 447: To establish a toll free number in the Department of Commerce to assist consumers in determining if products are American-made.](https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-447/)