WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Rick Scott and Tammy Baldwin introduced the bipartisan Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Online Act to ensure that all goods sold online list their country of origin to allow American consumers to make informed decisions, and help promote goods that are made in America. The COOL Online Act follows Senator Scott’s introduction of the Promoting Responsibility In Markets and E-Retailers (PRIME) Act, which will require online retailers to list the country of origin for each product they sell and requires digital apps to disclose their country of origin. The COOL Online Act is also cosponsored by Senators Chris Murphy and Kelly Loeffler.

Senator Rick Scott said, “American consumers should know where the products they buy are made. Last year, I introduced the PRIME Act to require online retailers to list the country of origin for each product they sell, and I’m proud to partner with Senator Baldwin today on the COOL Online Act as we work to create more transparency in the online retail space so consumers can make informed choices for themselves and their families.”

Senator Tammy Baldwin said, “Regardless of whether shopping online or in a store, Americans have a right to know whether the products they buy are being made right here in America, by American workers. With more and more consumers buying their goods online, we must ensure online retailers are being just as transparent as brick-and-mortar stores. My bipartisan legislation will fix our outdated labeling laws to promote transparency for Americans shopping online, and to help boost the American businesses and manufacturers selling their goods through online retailers.”

The COOL Online Act will update labeling laws for the e-commerce era by amending the Federal Trade Commission Act. Specifically, the bill requires:

• The country-of-origin labeling for a product, as required by existing law, be clearly and conspicuously stated in the website’s description of the product
• Clear disclosure of the country in which the seller of the product is located (and, if applicable, the country in which any parent corporation of such seller is located) in the online product listing.

###