Last week, U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., introduced the “Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Online Act.”
The bill would “ensure that products that are sold online list their country of origin to protect American consumers’ right to know where the products they buy are made and promote American-made goods,” and Gimenez’s office offered the reasons behind the proposal.
“Unlike products that are purchased in-person, goods that are sold online are not required to list their country of origin. This legislation closes this legal loophole and increases e-commerce transparency by updating labeling laws so online shoppers have the same protection and right to seller location information as in-person shoppers. Specifically, the bill requires country of origin labeling be clearly stated in the website’s description of the product and a clear disclosure of the country in which the seller of the product is located,” Gimenez’s office noted.
“Whether you shop online or in-person, American consumers have the right to know where the products they buy are made,” said Gimenez. “This legislation increases transparency by extending in-person labeling requirements to e-commerce and ensures that all goods sold online list their country of origin. This protects American consumers from shoddy, unsafe, or counterfeit goods sold by companies in Communist China and promotes quality American-made products. I am proud to work in a bipartisan manner to fix outdated labeling laws, increase transparency, protect consumers, and promote American businesses.”
U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, D-NJ, is co-sponsoring the bill which was sent to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce, the Agriculture, and the Ways and Means Committees. So far, there is no companion measure over in the U.S. Senate.
