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Greensboro's Highland Industries is one of many textile companies that could save or create jobs under a new law passed as part of the economic stimulus bill.

The Kissell amendment to the bill will require the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard to buy textiles and clothing with 100 percent U.S.-made components.

The Kissell amendment offers many potential opportunities for Highland, which makes a wide range of products for the military and emergency use, including ballistic and tent fabric.

The amendment is an addition to the Berry amendment, which requires the Department of Defense to buy textiles from U.S. sources. It was sponsored by U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell, a freshman Democrat from Biscoe, representing the 8th District.

At a minimum, supporters of the bill said Tuesday that it will create 21,000 direct and related jobs from the new business.

Bret Kelley, director of sales and marketing for Highland, said that the Kissell amendment has provisions that could greatly affect his company and allow him to hire workers. He said that in recent years, the company has laid off 20 percent of its workers.

But as a major supplier of tents to the military, Kelley said Highland would have vast new markets if Homeland Security bought tents for use during biological or chemical weapons attacks.

Also, the president could broaden the amendment to cover the Federal Emergency Management Agency, deploying thousands more tents.

"The products we make are highly specialized," Kelley said. "These tents - they are living systems. They are designed to defeat infrared detection technology. They are designed to go up quickly."

In addition, Highland makes liners for ballistic vests that can keep the protective fabric dry.

Ballistic fabric doesn't work properly if it gets wet. A liner made by Highland could be made to surround a vest's components for use on boats in Coast Guard operations.

It's unclear where TSA buys all of its uniforms, but some contracts are with Mexican companies.

TSA employees get $250 each to buy six shirts and six pairs of pants for their jobs. Amendment supporters said Tuesday none of that money is recovered if the uniforms are bought in China or Mexico. But nearly $44 comes back in the form of various taxes when a U.S. product is sold for the same price.

Rep. Howard Coble, Greensboro's 6th District Republican, supported the amendment but voted against the overall stimulus bill.

Contact Richard M. Barron at 373-7371 or richard.barron@news-record.com