Member pushes Boots Act to require Berry Amendment‑compliant combat boots and support U.S. footwear industry

A member told the House Armed Services Committee the FY26 NDAA should include the bipartisan Boots Act to ensure optional combat boots available to service members meet the Berry Amendment and are produced with U.S. materials.

The witness argued some boots sold to service members mimic regulation boots but are foreign‑made and lower quality, creating safety and readiness risks and weakening the domestic textile and footwear industrial base. He cited a 2024 Department of Defense‑commissioned report from the Defense Logistics Agency that warned the clothing and textile industrial base would be too fragile in a major conflict, and noted that the FY25 NDAA process included a requirement for DoD to report to Congress on the feasibility of requiring Berry Amendment‑compliant boots.

The witness encouraged the committee to reinsert the Boots Act into this year's NDAA after it passed the House in the prior year's consideration but was removed in conference. He said DoD responses in the prior year acknowledged risks to the domestic footwear base and potential benefits for domestic job creation if Berry Amendment‑compliant boots were required.

No formal amendment or vote was taken on the Boots Act during member day; the witness asked the committee to include the provision in the FY26 NDAA text.