When they return from August recess, one of the things Congress needs to take up is the S. 1228: Combating Military Counterfeits Act of 2011. This bill is an important step towards protecting the United States from counterfeit electronic components.
These fake components cost jobs and put Americans at risk. The danger is especially high in our military.
One category of counterfeit parts are civilian grade electronic components relabeled as military grade. Military grade parts have to meet strict standards to work in extreme conditions, such as very hot or extremely cold environments. These situations may be rare in civilian life, but are common for our military. A civilian grade electronic component may work well on the ground, but fail dangerously in a jet during combat.
For more information about the bill and its status, check out http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s112-1228
Joseph Federico NJ's Blog 