Nearing his final days in the White House, President Barack Obama has been hard at work ensuring a number of policies are enacted before he leaves. On Friday, he signed into law an annual defense spending bill which would increase pay for troops, as well as require the Department of Defense to issue athletic shoes made in the U.S. to its new recruits.
Known as the “Made in USA” footwear provision, it was tacked onto the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act and championed by legislators from Maine where the majority of New Balance manufacturers are located. U.S. Representative Bruce Poliquin stated, “The 900 shoemakers at New Balance in Norridgewock, Skowhegan and Norway…deserve this huge win.” The Portland Herald Press reports that Brendan Melly, director of manufacturing at New Balance, estimated that the provision would allow the company to produce an additional 250,000 shoes a year.