[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 77 (Tuesday, May 19, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1200-E1201]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       THE INTRODUCTION OF THE TRUTH IN FUR LABELING ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 19, 2009

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce, 
along with Representative Mary Bono Mack, the Truth in Fur Labeling Act 
of 2009, which would require the labeling of all garments containing 
animal fur.
  Current law contains a glaring loophole that allows garments 
containing less than $150 dollars in fur to be sold in the U.S. without 
an identifying label. The result is that consumers lack the information 
they need to make informed choices and may inadvertently purchase 
garments that contain real fur, possibly from a dog or cat. The Humane 
Society of the United States (HSUS) strongly supports this bill as a 
way to guarantee consumers full and accurate information and to cut 
down on the amount of illegal dog and cat fur making its way into the 
U.S.
  In recent years, HSUS investigators found a proliferation of falsely 
labeled and falsely advertised dog fur on fashion clothing sold by some 
of the largest names in U.S. retailing. Of the fur-trimmed jackets 
subjected to mass spectrometry testing by HSUS, 96 percent were found 
to be domestic dog, wolf or raccoon dog, and either mislabeled or not 
labeled at all.
  Half of all fur garments entering the United States come from China, 
where large numbers of domestic dogs and cats as well as raccoon dogs 
are killed every year for their fur by brutal methods, sometimes 
skinned alive. The Dog and Cat Protection Act of 2000 banned the trade 
in dog and cat fur after an HSUS investigation revealed the death toll 
at 2 million animals a year and found domestic dog fur for sale in the 
United States.
  While it is currently illegal to import, export, sell or advertise 
any domestic dog or cat fur in the United States and fur from other 
animals must be identified with a label, a loophole exists that allows 
a sizable portion of fur garments to avoid this labeling requirement.

[[Page E1201]]

The Fur Products Labeling Act of 1951 exempts garments with a 
``relatively small quantity or value'' of fur from requiring labels 
disclosing the name of the species, the manufacturer, the country of 
origin and other pertinent information for consumers. The Federal Trade 
Commission defines that value today as $150--an amount that allows 
multiple animal pelts on a garment without a label.
  Regardless of value, consumers have the right to know if a product 
they purchase contains real fur. Consumers who may have allergies to 
fur, ethical objections to fur, or concern about the use of certain 
species, cannot make informed purchasing choices. Furthermore, the 
ability for consumers to make well-informed decisions based on complete 
information is a cornerstone of a functioning market economy.
  Importantly, labeling fur trim will not be economically burdensome 
for apparel manufacturers or retailers. According to the Federal Trade 
Commission, the total number of fur garments, fur-trimmed garments, and 
fur accessories sold in the United States is estimated at 3,500,000. Of 
that, approximately 3,000,000 items--or 86 percent--are already 
required to abide by labeling requirements. It will not present a 
difficulty to label the additional 14 percent of products using animal 
fur. In fact, this legislation may actually increase the efficiency of 
the manufacturing process because it removes the need to determine an 
item's value for labeling purposes.
  Consumer protection officials and leaders in the retail and fashion 
industries support fur labeling. Legislation closing the loophole in 
the Fur Products Labeling Act has been endorsed by Tommy Hilfiger, 
Burlington Coat Factory, Loehmann's, Buffalo Exchange, House of Dereon, 
Jay McCarroll, Andrew Marc, and others. Leading designers and 
businesses understand the need for clear labeling laws to protect 
consumer confidence in their products. Additionally, the National 
Association of Consumer Agency Administrators (NACAA), an organization 
representing more than 160 government agencies and 50 corporate 
consumer offices, recently passed a resolution in support of truthful 
fur labeling and advertising, including the elimination of loopholes.
  It is clear that current regulations undercut consumers' ability to 
make informed purchases and contributes to the continued presence of 
dog and cat fur in garments sold in the U.S. I look forward to working 
with my colleagues and the committee of jurisdiction to bring attention 
to this issue and enact the needed reforms included in the Truth in Fur 
Labeling Act of 2009.

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