Aderholt Secures Pro-Sock Industry Legislation

Contact: Darrell “DJ” Jordan
(202) 226-7602

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) today announced that he successfully included report language expanding the Vietnam Import Monitoring Program to include China and to include socks in both.

“This program may be the only shot our sock industry has to obtain relief from Chinese imports after safeguards expire at the end of this year,” said Congressman Aderholt. “The safeguards I obtained for the sock industry in 2005 have been very effective at keeping Chinese sock imports at a manageable level, but we must look to the future of the sock industry after those safeguards expire,” he continued.

The Vietnam Import Monitoring Program was started by the Bush Administration in 2006 to win support in Congress for approving Permanent Normal Trade Relations with Vietnam. As originally established, the program monitors several varieties of textiles and apparel and contained a mechanism for the U.S. government to impose duties on surging imports. It will be up to the next Administration to continue the program.

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