Congressman Aderholt Voices Textile Industry's Concerns

Title: Congressman Aderholt Voices Textile Industry's Concerns
Date: 10/6/2004
Location: Washington, DC

Aderholt Challenges Potential Threat To Alabama's Fourth District

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) today expressed strong concern over a Senate bill that provides incentives to move apparel manufacturing jobs from the United States to Haiti. Congressman Aderholt sent a letter to that effect to House and Senate leaders outlining his concerns with the Haiti Economic Recovery Act (S. 2261). The bill allows Haiti to export their products to the U.S. duty free, regardless of where their supplies and materials originate. This could allow Haitian manufacturers to source yarns and fabrics from China while still receiving zero-duty access to the U.S. market.

"What we could see here is potentially devastating to the hardworking men and women in our textile industry. That industry is already struggling," said Congressman Aderholt. "Up to $1.8 billion of apparel orders could shift from the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Nicaragua to Haiti, and almost a billion dollars in current U.S. yarn and fabric exports to Haiti would be jeopardized.

"To add insult to injury, the duty-free benefits would be retroactive to late last year, which means our taxpayers would have to fund millions of dollars in refunds to importers.

"While I encourage the United States to help our neighbors around the world, destroying a substantial portion of the North American textile and apparel industry that is successfully exporting products - and putting tens of thousands of these workers out of their jobs - is not the way to solve Haiti's problems. While Haiti would certainly benefit from this legislation, the economic impact for the U.S. and our partners is simply too grave.

"I think it is important to stand up against any legislation or regulation that threatens to export jobs from our hardworking Alabama families. I'll continue to fight to keep this legislation from coming to a vote unless significant changes are made which reflect the needs of the Fourth District's workers," added Congressman Aderholt.