American Glove Act of 2026

Covered agencies would have to ensure that nitrile gloves bought through covered procurement arrangements are made in the United States by qualified domestic manufacturers. Those manufacturers must be majority-owned and controlled by U.S. persons, have commercial-scale production capacity, and not be subject to significant influence by a foreign entity of concern.

A procurement arrangement could supply covered gloves only if it included an enforceable agreement with a qualified domestic manufacturer. The agreement must last at least two years and include a binding minimum purchase commitment or another commercially reasonable commitment to buy gloves.

Agencies would generally have to keep buying from the manufacturer named in the supplier agreement for its term. Substitution would be allowed in specified circumstances, including the manufacturer’s written consent or material failure to perform, and would require a written agreement modification and documentation in the contract file.

For each covered procurement arrangement, the agency would have to keep a written certification in the contract file confirming domestic manufacturing and the required supplier agreement. If an arrangement does not comply, the agency would have to take appropriate corrective action under federal procurement law.

The bill would allow agencies to continue using the AbilityOne Program and would not require them to remove gloves from the Procurement List or end an AbilityOne arrangement solely because a qualified domestic manufacturer supplies the gloves. Existing procurement arrangements could be brought into compliance through changes or supplier agreements rather than being terminated or put out for new competition.