By Joel D. Joseph, Founder, Made in the USA Foundation
I just returned from George Bush International Airport in Houston, Texas. Houston is the home of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA. At the Houston airport there is a store called "Space Corner" that sells NASA-logo gear, hats, T-shirts and other souvenirs. The problem is that all of the NASA gear sold at Houston Airport is made overseas, in China, Haiti, Honduras and Mexico.
The United States government created NASA, which has been a big success, landing on the moon in 1969 and launching another moon project in the near future. Our only significant space competitor is China.
All NASA gear should be made in the USA. I don't want a NASA souvenir that is made in China, and neither do the millions of tourists who walk through George Bush International Airport.
Congress can solve this problem easily by granting NASA a trademark on its name and logo and requiring that NASA license only American manufacturers to make its hats and T-shirts. A royalty would go to NASA to help pay for our space program.
National Parks
NASA is not the only target for souvenir importers. Every national park in the United States now sells imported sweatshirts, T-shirts and hats emblazoned with Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Shenandoah and many more. These names belong to the American people. National Parks are an American invention and we should be able to control where its iconic souvenirs are manufactured.
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