Online Country of Origin Labeling Bill Passes Key Senate Committee, Heads to Floor for a Vote

Unlike in-person stores, online retailers are currently not required to post country of origin information for their products. It’s time to change that.

The Senate Commerce Committee approved legislation on Thursday to require online retailers to include country of origin information in product descriptions, which would make it clear for consumers where the items they purchase on the Internet are made.

The bipartisan Country of Origin Labeling Online (COOL) Act, introduced by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), now heads to the Senate floor for a full vote. Co-sponsors of the legislation include Sens. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Mike Braun (R-Ind.).

Amazon and other e-commerce websites often lack country of origin information for the products they sell, making it difficult for shoppers who care about supporting Made in America brands — or even just avoiding bad actors — to figure out where an item was made. This isn’t the case for in-person retailers, who are required to include country of origin information for every single thing being offered for sale in their stores.

“The laws that apply right now to brick and mortar stores do not apply online, and we need to change that,” Baldwin previously told us.

“I’ve been frustrated in the past myself trying to purchase something and then find out when it comes and it’s unpacked, that there’s a little label that says, ‘Made in China’ or made somewhere else,” she added. “I think that we, especially for those of us who really value supporting the dignity of work and workers here in the United States, that it should be easy for us to figure out where these things are produced.”

Baldwin isn’t alone. Eight-in-10 U.S. adults (79%) agreed that online retailers should be required to include country of origin information in product descriptions, according to a survey conducted in November 2022 by Morning Consult for the Alliance for American Manufacturing. In that same poll, 81% of respondents said they’d like to buy more American-made goods — so making it easier for consumers to access that information when shopping online would likely support American manufacturers.

“By giving online shoppers information about where a product is being made and where the seller is located, consumers will be well-positioned to support the U.S. economy and create more jobs for American workers,” said AAM President Scott Paul.

This legislation is really a no-brainer. Brick-and-mortar stores already include country of origin labeling on their products, so requiring it for online retailers is not a big lift. And, doing so would help consumers access the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions.

It’s time for Congress to pass this commonsense legislation.