SONS OF ITALY LAUDS SEN. MENENDEZ AND COLLEAGUES FOR "MADE IN AMERICA" LAW
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WASHINGTON, D.C., July 24, 2012 - The Sons of Italy, the nation's largest and oldest organization representing Americans of Italian heritage, commended Sen. Robert Menendez (D- N.J.) and his nine Senate democratic colleagues for introducing legislation that will require the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) to adopt "Made in America" uniform standards beginning with the 2014 Olympics, or risk losing its charter to manage the U.S. Olympic program. The legislation mandates that the USOC adheres to the "procurement policy that requires ceremonial uniforms for U.S. Olympians ... [to] meet the standards of the Federal Trade Commission for labeling as Made in the U.S.A."
Sen. Menendez said he was initially "shocked" that such a uniform requirement did not already exist. But, with the cooperation of USOC, he looks "forward to the quick passage of this patriotic jobs bill so that the U.S. never finds itself in this embarrassing situation again." The USOC has since announced that it plans to meet the standards set forth by the legislation.
Sons of Italy CEO, Dr. Philip R. Piccigallo, speaking on behalf of the organization's 550,000 family members throughout the United States, praised Menendez and the other senators for "acting assertively and expeditiously to rectify a policy that seemed singularly unwise and insulting to all Americans."
Established in 1905, the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA), or Sons of Italy for short, has more than 550,000 members and supporters and a network of more than 600 chapters coast to coast. OSIA works at the community, national and international levels to promote the heritage and culture of an estimated 26 million Italian Americans, the nation's fifth largest ethnic group, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. To learn more, visit www.osia.org. |
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