H.R. 8656

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8656 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8656

To require the Department of Justice to procure ballistic-resistant 
body armor manufactured using domestic ballistic fibers.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 4, 2026

Mr. Higgins of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. Harrigan, and Mrs. Biggs of 
South Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require the Department of Justice to procure ballistic-resistant 
body armor manufactured using domestic ballistic fibers.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Ballistic Armor Made in America Act 
of 2026''.

SEC. 2. RULES RELATED TO PROCUREMENT OF BALLISTIC-RESISTANT BODY ARMOR.

(a) Required Disclosure of Source of Materials.--
(1) Disclosure.--Beginning not later than 60 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the National 
Institute of Justice shall require any entity, including a 
company or manufacturer, that submits or has submitted 
ballistic-resistant body armor to the National Institute of 
Justice's Compliance Testing Program to disclose each country 
where such armor is manufactured and where ballistic fibers 
contained in such armor are grown, reprocessed, reused, 
recycled, or produced.
(2) Publication.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Director of the National 
Institute of Justice shall--
(A) add as a part of the information listed for 
each ballistic-resistant body armor model on the 
compliant products list, including any ballistic-
resistant armor model on the compliant product list 
prior to the date of the enactment of this Act, each 
disclosure required under paragraph (1); and
(B) update, as soon as reasonably possible and in 
not more than 30 days, the compliant products list each 
time ballistic-resistant body armor model has been 
certified by the National Institute of Justice as 
meeting the latest standard for such armor.
(3) Made in america.--No product listed on the compliant 
products list that discloses ballistic fibers grown, 
reprocessed, reused, recycled, or produced outside of the 
United States of America may use any markings, symbols or other 
language related to the designation of ``Made in America''.
(4) Emerging technologies.--The Director of the National 
Institute of Justice shall determine if the requirements under 
paragraphs (1) through (3) shall apply to any advanced 
materials used to replace ballistic fibers in the manufacturing 
of ballistic-resistant body armor.
(b) Prohibition on Procurement From Outside of the United States.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 31 of title 28, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after section 509B the following:
``Sec. 509C. Domestic Sourcing Requirement for Department Procurements
``(a) Prohibition.--The Attorney General may not use funds 
appropriated or otherwise available to the Department of Justice for 
the procurement of ballistic-resistant body armor if such armor is 
manufactured from or contains ballistic fibers that are grown, 
reprocessed, reused, recycled, or produced outside of the United 
States.
``(b) Exceptions.--The prohibition under subsection (a) shall not 
apply if the Attorney General determines that ballistic-resistant body 
armor manufactured from or containing ballistic fibers that are grown, 
reprocessed, reused, recycled, or produced in the United States cannot 
be procured as and when needed at United States market prices or if the 
ballistic fibers have been found to be in compliance with the section 
4862 of title 10, United States Code (commonly known as the `Berry 
Amendment') and section 604 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment 
Act of 2009 (6 U.S.C. 453b) (commonly known as the `Kissel Amendment').
``(c) Definition.--In this section:
``(1) Ballistic-resistant body armor.--The term `ballistic-
resistant body armor' means an item of personal protective 
equipment, consisting of hard armor or soft armor, that is 
intended to protect the wearer from threats, including 
ballistic threats, stabbing, fragmentation, and blunt impact.
``(2) Hard armor.--The term `hard armor' means an item of 
personal protective equipment that is constructed of rigid 
materials and is used in the composition of ballistic-resistant 
body armor.
``(3) Soft armor.--The term `soft armor' means an item of 
personal protective equipment constructed of pliable or 
flexible materials and is used in the composition of ballistic-
resistant body armor.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents for chapter 
31 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 509B the following:

``509C. Domestic Sourcing Requirement for Department Procurements.''.
(c) Know Before You Buy Training.--The Director of the Federal Law 
Enforcement Training Centers shall provide an educational training 
program for any State or local governmental entity that has applied for 
or has received a grant from the Department of Justice to purchase 
ballistic-resistant body armor regarding the disclosure requirement 
under subsection (a)(1).
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Ballistic-resistant body armor.--The term ``ballistic-
resistant body armor'' means an item of personal protective 
equipment, consisting of hard armor or soft armor, that is 
intended to protect the wearer from threats, including 
ballistic threats, stabbing, fragmentation, and blunt impact.
(2) Compliant products list.--The term ``compliant products 
list''means the official list of ballistic-resistant body armor 
that have been certified by the National Institute of Justice 
and is published as the ``Compliant Products List: Ballistic 
Resistant Armor'' (or a subsequent list) on the internet 
website of the Department of Justice.
(3) Hard armor.--The term ``hard armor'' means an item of 
personal protective equipment that is constructed of rigid 
materials and is used in the composition of ballistic-resistant 
body armor.
(4) Soft armor.--The term ``soft armor'' means an item of 
personal protective equipment constructed of pliable or 
flexible materials and is used in the composition of ballistic-
resistant body armor.
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