Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) have requested that Amazon and other online retailers make the country of origin for all products clearly visible on their platforms. In a letter to Amazon CEO Andrew Jassy, the lawmakers highlighted concerns about consumer awareness, especially regarding products from countries considered adversaries.
Moolenaar and Krishnamoorthi stated in their letter: "We are strongly committed to a renewed 'Made in America' economic and manufacturing effort, which prioritizes revitalizing domestic production and empowering American consumers to support U.S. workers directly through their purchasing decisions. We need to rebuild American manufacturing, industrial capacity, and ensure that the economic benefits of a healthy domestic industrial base flow to American families – not foreign adversary competitors."
They further emphasized: "A critical part of this national effort is ensuring that consumers are able to quickly, easily, and transparently determine the true country of origin of products sold online. This includes being able to see the percentage of component parts manufactured in the United States and whether the seller is a U.S. company or a foreign entity. This is particularly true when products are ultimately controlled by companies based in adversarial nations such as the People’s Republic of China (PRC). As reports continue to bolster the severity of cyber threats posed by PRC-made networking devices such as TP Link, which the Committee highlighted last year, Americans should have the ability to easily choose not to buy these products."
The lawmakers criticized Amazon's current approach: "Unfortunately, Amazon’s current product-listing structure often makes this information difficult to locate or verify. Many listings bury country-of-origin details in nonstandardized sections, use inconsistent terminology, or omit information entirely. This prevents consumers from exercising their own preference to support our economic recovery – namely, the ability to prefer American-made goods and avoid products from foreign adversary suppliers that present a threat to their security."
Moolenaar and Krishnamoorthi asked Amazon and other e-commerce platforms to take several steps:
- Clearly display “Country of Origin” for every product listing.
- Require sellers to report what percentage of components are made in the United States.
- Indicate whether sellers are U.S.-based or foreign entities, including if they are affiliated with China.
- Offer search tools so customers can filter for U.S.-made goods or exclude certain countries.
- Implement verification systems so sellers do not misrepresent where their products come from.
A similar letter was sent to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Andrew Ferguson urging action on these issues across all major online retailers. The lawmakers wrote: “While we have sent a letter expressing this concern to Amazon, we believe all major online retailers in America should meet this standard – including platforms based in foreign adversaries like Shein and Temu, which this Committee has previously investigated.”
The full letters can be read at these links:
Read the letter to Amazon here.
Read the letter to the FTC here.
