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Washington, DC -- Last June, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in support of $2 million for procurement of military apparel from InSport Inc. of Beaverton, Oregon. The Senate mirrored that support this week which put InSport one step closer to obtaining a contract with the Department of Defense.
The Senate action occurred just a few days after Congressman Wu returned from Iraq where he was able to personally deliver InSport shirts to a handful of U.S. soldiers. Congressman Wu and the soldiers are pictured below with their new InSport shirts. Congressman Wu will present Eric Merk, president and CEO of InSport, with a framed copy of the picture tomorrow afternoon while he is home in Oregon.
"I was honored to meet with some of our dedicated soldiers serving in Iraq and share with them a great Oregon product," stated Congressman Wu. "I hope thousands more soldiers will soon benefit from InSport's leading research and development in the 'smart apparel' industry."
InSport president Eric Merk added, "The contract with the Federal government will be good for Oregon and our soldiers. The constant need for soldiers to wear heavy body armor causes adverse health conditions such as heat rashes, chafing and skin infections. Our apparel products will provide the comfort and protection soldiers need to stay focused and perform at their best."
Under the contract, InSport would provide the United States Marine Corps with shirts made from a new fabric that quickly moves moisture away from the skin. The fabric has a silver coated fiber knit that provides permanent anti-microbial protection. The InSport shirt would be worn as a base layer garment under the current Interceptor body armor Marines are required to wear in combat. Presently, Marines wear cotton t-shirts that absorb moisture, stay wet, and contribute to chafing, rashes and skin infections.
The InSport funds are included in the House and Senate versions of the U.S. Department of Defense Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2006. A House-Senate conference committee will resolve the differences between the two versions in the coming weeks. Because the InSport funds are included in both versions, it will very likely remain intact. The House and Senate will take a final vote on the bill sometime this fall.
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