When soldiers put their boots on the ground … those boots will soon be coming from Illinois.

The Belleville Boot Co. has secured a $7.8 million contract for the Army Temperate Weather Combat Boot. Even more significant than that, says U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski (pictured) (D-Springfield), is the bipartisanship she enjoys with U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro).

“Mike and I were able to get special language in the National Defense Authorization Act that would further incentivize American manufacturing, the military specifically,” said Budzinski. “What i am hoping is that, by getting that language,t we can further support this company so they can further expand and grow.”

Belleville Boot Co. has been around since World War I.