Apparel firms applaud new trade bill

Apparel firms applaud new trade bill

Jones

   Trade groups representing garment, textile and footwear manufacturers applauded a new bill that aims to amend the African Growth and Opportunity Act and the Trade Act of 1974 to provide improved duty-free treatment for some articles from sub-Saharan Africa and other designated least-developed countries.
   Both the U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA) and American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) praised Wednesday’s introduction of the New Partnership for Trade Development Act of 2009 (H.R. 4101) by Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash.
   'The bill recognizes the need to rationalize the many individual U.S. preference programs into a single preference program, and to expand the benefits to products that developing countries make,' said Laura Jones, executive director of USA-ITA. 'It also includes a simplified rule of origin that would be more manageable and user-friendly.
   'U.S. preference programs offer an opportunity for U.S. importers and retailers of consumer goods to save duties and therefore pass along savings to U.S. consumers, a particularly important benefit when consumers are feeling uncertain about their futures and closely watching their spending,” Jones said. “Unfortunately, the way these programs are currently set up, they are too limited, too complicated and insufficient to act as a primary motivator for the placement of business.”
   Kevin M. Burke, president and chief executive officer of the AAFA, said, 'Congressional consideration and action on comprehensive and long-term trade preference reform is well overdue. The United States currently supports trade with developing countries through a myriad of inconsistent and temporary programs that do not provide meaningful benefits for development and prosperity in these regions. It is our hope that Mr. McDermott's bill will launch a full discussion about greater trade preference reform that would raise millions out of poverty and create real opportunities for the U.S. apparel and footwear industry by incorporating predictability, simplicity and flexibility in U.S. trade preference programs.'
   Text of the bill can be found here enter HR4101 in search field.