Donald Trump,Charles Schumer,Paul Ryan,Kevin McCarthy

President Donald Trump, center, hosts a reception for House and Senate leaders in the the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. The participants included from left, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-NY., House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif. Schumer did not raise the issue at that meeting of the White House using American-made flatware. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

(Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer doesn't expect to agree on most things with President Donald Trump over the next four years. But the Senate Democratic leader thinks the two can find common ground when it comes to entertaining at the White House.

Schumer, D-N.Y., sent a letter Wednesday to the White House asking Trump to buy American-made china, flatware and glassware to send a positive message to U.S. manufacturers.

In particular, Schumer used his letter to tout Sherrill Manufacturing in Oneida County, America's only remaining flatware maker.

"There is no better way to display America's greatest workforce and high-quality products than the White House using 'Made in America' products every day, and during special events like state dinners," Schumer said.

"Hopefully, the White House will heed my call so heads of states will sip their soup, cut their steak and bite on forks made right here in America," he said.

Trump, who campaigned on the slogan "Make America Great Again," has often cited the loss of manufacturing jobs in Upstate New York as he traveled across the nation.

Seeing an opportunity, Sherrill Manufacturing last week sent Trump a package with a five-piece sample of its "Betsy Ross" flatware line and a letter suggesting he might want to consider using the brand as the new White House flatware.

Matthew Roberts, the company's co-owner and chief operating officer, told Syracuse.com Wednesday afternoon that he has not yet received a reply from Trump or the White House.

"We are asking him to be true to his word and buy American," Roberts said.

Sherrill Manufacturing took over the former Oneida Ltd. factory in 2005 and now make 22 flatware patterns including the Betsy Ross line.

Since then, Sherrill Manufacturing has become one of the top flatware suppliers to the U.S. military and other federal agencies with a mandate to buy American-made products.

With the help of a complaint filed by Schumer, the company won a dispute in March with the U.S. General Services Administration over companies that falsely claimed their forks, knives and spoons were made in the United States.

That leaves Sherrill Manufacturing's flatware brand, Liberty Tabletop, as the only brand made in the United States.

Sherrill Manufacturing sells directly to the public through its Liberty Tabletop website and through online retailers that specialize in American-made products.

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