The Wall Street Journal-20080119-U-S- Moves to Aid Sock Makers
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U.S. Moves to Aid Sock Makers
Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- The government moved Friday to protect U.S. sock manufacturers from imports from Honduras, a move that drew praise from textile states including Alabama.
The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements voted to begin 60 days of talks with the Honduran government before announcing the amount of tariffs on socks from the Central American nation.
Lawmakers representing sock manufacturers, particularly Rep. Robert Aderholt (R., Ala.), have pressed for the protections since agreeing to support the Central American Free Trade Agreement in July 2005. Rep. Aderholt's north Alabama district includes Fort Payne, which calls itself the "sock capital of the world."
Domestic production has suffered as more socks came from foreign manufacturers, and Fort Payne has lost about 1,500 sock industry jobs in two years.
"I have said all along that the facts warranted a positive safeguard position, I am glad that the administration agreed with me, " Rep. Aderholt said in a statement.
CAFTA passed by two votes after lawmakers received assurances from President Bush that he wouldn't let their textile industries get wiped out. Those lawmakers have since criticized Mr. Bush as not doing more to protect the U.S. companies.
