Amendment will Restore Longstanding Domestic Sourcing Requirement for Stainless Steel Flatware

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 that would restore the Berry Amendment’s longstanding domestic sourcing requirement for stainless steel flatware. Sherrill Manufacturing, located in the 22nd District, is the only domestic flatware manufacturer currently in operation.

The Berry Amendment restricts the Department of Defense from buying certain goods produced outside of the United States. From 1976-2006, the Berry Amendment included a domestic sourcing requirement for stainless steel flatware. However, when Oneida Ltd., the primary domestic supplier, shifted its flatware manufacturing overseas in 2007, this provision was eliminated. As a result, DOD determined that stainless steel flatware was “a commercial commodity little produced in the U.S. after Oneida Ltd. ceased its domestic manufacturing operations.”

“Reinstating the Berry Amendment’s three-decades-old domestic sourcing provision for stainless steel flatware will provide our service members with high-quality domestic flatware while allowing local manufacturers and small businesses across the U.S. to thrive. As the only flatware manufacturer made 100 percent in America, Sherrill Manufacturing has proven their commitment to our nation and our community time and again.” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. “American taxpayers overwhelmingly support having their hard-earned tax dollars go to American companies, so long as doing so does not raise the costs of business or unnecessarily burden government operations. The amendment I introduced today will help support American manufacturing, while protecting and growing jobs right here at home.”

Sherrill Manufacturing acquired Oneida Ltd.’s facilities and assets in 2005. Since then, domestic flatware production has rebounded, with Sherrill Manufacturing posting remarkable growth and relying on a domestic supply chain of more than 100 companies.

“Many thanks to Claudia Tenney and her staff for the hard work they have done to bring about this proposed amendment. While we understand why the longstanding language was removed back in 2007, now that the situation has returned to normal, it seems only appropriate that the flatware provision should be restored. The winners will be the hard working employees of Sherrill Manufacturing as well as thousands of brave servicemen and women who will once again be eating off of quality flatware that is 100% Made in the USA,” said Greg Owens, CEO of Sherrill Manufacturing.

Since 2008, Sherrill Manufacturing has sold more than $6.8 million in flatware to the federal government, including to the Department of Defense, through General Services Administration Multiple Award Schedules contracts as well as GSA Advantage. This has demonstrated their reliability as a stable domestic supplier of flatware at prices that GSA has repeatedly determined are “fair and reasonable.”

By martha

One thought on “Tenney introduces amendment to protect, grow jobs at Sherrill Manufacturing”
  1. The proposal was killed by the House, largely due to the conservative Heritage Foundation analysis. It’s too bad, this would have been a real and much needed boost for the local economy, especially for Sherrill Manufacturing, but the loss comes at the hands of conservatives like herself.

    Sadly for us, she reaps what she sows.

    “Tori Whiting of the Heritage Foundation wrote that Tenney’s proposal is “a textbook example of the type of government cronyism that plagues Washington.”

    Whiting added, “This move would result in higher prices for flatware for the military, a wasteful use of scarce defense dollars.”

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