Uniforms for U.S. Olympic athletes are American red, white and blue - but made in China and members of Congress are fuming over the matter with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid demanding that the Olympic committee 'burn them and start all over again.'
Both Republicans and Democrats joined together on Thursday to rail against the decision to dress Team USA in Chinese manufactured berets, blazers and pants while the American textile industry is struggles with millions of U.S. workers desperate for jobs.
Ralph Lauren's Olympic outfits were unveiled on Tuesday. The beret, blazer and patch are seen here on, from left, swimmer Ryan Lochte, decathlete Bryan Clay, rower Giuseppe Lanzone and soccer player Heather Mitts
'I am so upset. I think the Olympic committee should be ashamed of themselves. I think they should be embarrassed. I think they should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again,' Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said.
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters at her weekly news conference that she's proud of the nation's Olympic athletes, but 'they should be wearing uniforms that are made in America.'
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said simply of the USOC, 'You'd think they'd know better.'
In a statement, the U.S. Olympic Committee defended the choice of designer Ralph Lauren for the clothing at the London Games, which begin later this month.
'Unlike most Olympic teams around the world, the U.S. Olympic Team is privately funded and we're grateful for the support of our sponsors,' USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky said in a statement. 'We're proud of our partnership with Ralph Lauren, an iconic American company, and excited to watch America's finest athletes compete at the upcoming Games in London.'
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