Shelby Applauds Decision to Implement Safeguards Against Surging Imports of Chinese Socks

SHELBY APPLAUDS DECISION TO IMPLEMENT SAFEGUARDS AGAINST SURGING IMPORTS OF CHINESE SOCKS

WASHINGTON, D. C.- U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) applauded today's decision by the Committee for Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) to approve the domestic sock manufacturers petition to implement safeguards on surging imports from China. CITA determined that the domestic sock market is being disrupted due to Chinese imports, and that this situation threatens to impede the orderly development of trade in these products.

Earlier this year, the Domestic Manufacturers Committee of the Hosiery Association, the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile Organizations, and the National Textile Coalition filed a petition with CITA asking them to examine the adverse affects that low-cost Chinese sock imports are having on the domestic sock industry. Senator Shelby played an integral role in this process, communicating with relevant officials, including Commerce Secretary Don Evans, to expeditiously and fairly review this petition.

Senator Shelby said, "I am pleased that CITA has made this determination. The domestic sock industry has been significantly damaged as a result of unprecedented surges of imported socks. It is my belief that this determination will assist domestic manufacturers by helping to remedy this problem. A vibrant sock industry is critical to many of our communities in Northeast Alabama, and if we continue to allow foreign socks to overrun the domestic market, it will cause irreparable harm to the domestic industry."