HR 4159119th CongressIn Committee

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.

Introduced: Jun 26, 2025

Defense & National Security

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

H.R. 4159 would require the Secretary of Defense to issue regulations prohibiting members of the armed forces from wearing optional combat boots as part of a required uniform unless those boots are entirely manufactured in the United States. The boots would also have to be made entirely from materials grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States, and use components that are entirely manufactured in the United States and made from those same U.S. materials. The regulations would take effect no later than 730 days after enactment. The bill also allows waivers for certain boots designed for specific uses or needs (through a process modeled on existing Buy American/availability rules), and provides a medical exemption for boots that are medically necessary for a service member’s unique physiological needs. It defines key terms such as “optional combat boots,” “required uniform,” and the roles of “armed forces” and the “Secretary concerned.”

Key Points

1730-day regulatory deadline: The Secretary of Defense must issue regulations within two years after enactment prohibiting wearing optional combat boots as part of a required uniform unless the boots are fully U.S.-made with U.S.-sourced materials and components.
2Domestic-made requirement: Optional combat boots worn with a required uniform must be entirely manufactured in the United States and use materials and components that are entirely U.S.-sourced and produced.
3Availability exemptions: The Secretary can make determinations under the Buy American nonavailability framework (10 U.S.C. 4862) to waive the prohibition for boots designed for a specific use or need, to meet particular Defense requirements.
4Medical exemption: The ban does not apply if the boots are medically necessary to meet a unique physiological need of a service member.
5Definitions: Clear terms for “armed forces,” “Secretary concerned,” “optional combat boots,” and “required uniform.”

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Members of the U.S. Armed Forces who wear optional combat boots as part of their required uniform, and the organizations that supply those boots to service members.Secondary group/area affected- Domestic manufacturers and suppliers of combat boots and boot components/materials, as they would need to meet strict U.S.-made content requirements.- DoD procurement and supply chain management, which would need to implement and enforce the new regulations and potential waivers.Additional impacts- Costs: Potential increases in price and time-to-delivery for boots due to domestic-sourcing requirements and possible supply constraints.- Market effects: Possible shift in the military footwear market toward U.S.-based producers; potential impact on foreign suppliers and existing international contracts.- Legal/administrative: Establishment of regulatory framework and waiver processes under 10 U.S.C. 4862, plus medical exemption administration.The bill targets “optional combat boots”—boots not issued by the DoD, worn as part of a required uniform when service members choose to purchase them.The act envisions balancing domestic manufacturing goals with military readiness, by allowing targeted waivers for specific-use boots and ensuring medical exemptions when necessary.

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