Bush''s Textile Report Backfires

The Bush administration''s second textile report trumpeting efforts to help the domestic textile industry compete against imports went over like a lead balloon. Textile associations unanimously dismissed the interagency task force report and the administration''s pledge to help the textile industry.

"We''ve lost nearly 50,000 workers since they issued the last report and they call that an improvement? When an average of 4,500 American textile workers are still losing their jobs each month," said a shocked Cass Johnson, interim president of the American Textile Manufacturers Institute (ATMI).

Concerned over the bombardment of Chinese made garments and textiles into the US market, ATMI and three other textile associations had formally filed safeguard petitions with the US government asking their quotas be re-imposed on surging imports of knit gloves, dresses, brassieres and knit fabrics. If the US government approved the petitions, it could limit the growth of Chinese imports to 7.5 per cent over current trade.

The associations had also urged the government to recognise the damage that illegal Chinese trade practices are inflicting on the US textile workers and to impose safeguards. In addition, other US Senators and US Representatives sent individual letters to the Administration supporting implementation of the China safeguard.