At today’s meeting of the DC Council Committee on Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs, Councilmember Charles Allen’s Made in DC Program Establishment Act of 2016 was unanimously approved and will move next to the Committee of the Whole for consideration by the full Council.

Allen’s bill will promote locally created, manufactured, and assembled products through brand certification via the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD). It would direct DSLBD to develop a “Made in DC” logo, brand, and marketing campaign. Once approved, local products could use this logo in their own marketing, as well as be promoted by the city via DSLBD’s “Made in DC” program.

“Supporting our local businesses and building a stronger marketplace for District-made products is a smart investment in our local economy. Whether it is clothing, housewares, food, or beverages, District residents are proud to purchase and support homegrown products. And DC makers are proud to produce these products right here in the District,” said Allen.

 Additionally, the bill directs the city to evaluate opportunities for a District-sponsored Innovation Space and Marketplace that would provide further support for our local makers and artisans.

Supporting local businesses that create local products helps keep more dollars in DC. When shoppers buy from a local maker, a significant portion of that purchase supports other local businesses and creates local jobs.  Individual makers also contribute to the uniqueness of our neighborhoods, with local makers offering specialized products that respond to the needs of the neighborhoods they serve. Entrepreneurs living, creating, and selling locally ensures close connections with the community and a shared investment in its future success.

Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and At-Large Councilmember Vincent Orange, Chair of the Committee on Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs, co-introduced the Act with Councilmember Allen.