H.R. 4159

119 HR 4159 IH: To require the Secretary of Defense to issue regulations requiring that optional combat boots worn by members of the Armed Forces wear be made in America, and for other purposes.
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2025-06-26
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 I  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  H. R. 4159  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   June 26, 2025   Ms. Budzinski  (for herself,  Mr. Bost , and  Mr. Golden of Maine ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Armed Services    A BILL
To require the Secretary of Defense to issue regulations requiring
  that optional combat boots worn by members of the Armed Forces wear be made in America,
  and for other purposes.
1.
Regulations applicable to combat footwear of members of all branches of the
 armed forces
(a)
In general
Not later than 730 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall issue regulations prohibiting any member of the armed forces from wearing optional combat boots as part of a required uniform unless the optional combat boots are entirely manufactured in the United States and entirely made of—
(1)
materials grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States; and
(2)
components that are manufactured entirely in the United States and entirely made of materials described in paragraph (1).
(b)
Availability exemption
(1)
In general
A Secretary concerned may make a determination described in subsection (c) of section 4862 of title 10, United States Code, with respect to optional combat boots designed for a specific use and a specific need of the Department of Defense in the same manner as an article or item under subsection (a) of such section.
(2)
Applicability
If a Secretary concerned makes a determination described in paragraph (1) with respect to optional combat boots designed for a specific use and a specific need of the Department of Defense, the Secretary concerned may waive the prohibition under subsection (a) with respect to such optional combat boots designed for a specific use to the extent necessary to meet such need.
(c)
Medical exemption
The prohibition under subsection (a) shall not apply to the wearing of optional combat boots by a member of the armed forces if such optional combat boots are medically necessary to meet a unique physiological need of such member of the armed forces.
(d)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Armed forces; Secretary concerned
The terms  armed forces  and  Secretary concerned  have the meanings given such terms, respectively, in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code.
(2)
Optional combat boots
The term  optional combat boots , with respect to a member of the armed forces, means combat boots not furnished to such member of the armed forces by the Secretary of Defense.
(3)
Required uniform
The term  required uniform  means a uniform a member of the armed forces is required to wear as a member of the armed forces.