Brady bans "Made in China" souvenirs from Capitol gift shop

By: Tom MacDonald
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A U.S. Congressman from Philadelphia says he has instituted a ban on foreign made items in the U.S. Capitol Gift Shop. WHYY's Tom MacDonald reports that thousands of dollars of items are in storage because of the ban.

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Transcript:

Congressman Bob Brady is head of the House Administration Committee, which oversees logistics at the capitol, such as the gift shop. He says tourists shouldn't take home trinkets that aren't made in America.

Brady: "We told them right away that we don't want anybody coming to our nation's capital visiting our visitors center to come away with a gift of the Capitol dome, the White House, whatever it may be with something that says 'Made in China.' I think that is absolutely ludicrous."

The congressman says replacement merchandise can be purchased from American merchants and the gift shop managers should have thought more before purchasing foreign made goods.

Brady: "That's their mistake they should have got a decent price and let them sell things made in America from American factories that employ American people."

About a hundred thousand dollars worth of foreign made goods is in storage, and Congressman Brady has ordered the trinkets returned to the manufacturers.