[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 103 (Friday, July 10, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1722]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCING THE UNITED STATES OPTIMAL USE OF TRADE TO DEVELOP OUTERWEAR 
                         AND OUTDOOR RECREATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 10, 2009

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, more than 75 percent of Americans 
participate in active outdoor recreation each year, experiencing 
America's wild lands and outdoor spaces in ways large and small. In 
recognition of this group, I am introducing the ``United States Optimal 
Use of Trade to Develop Outerwear and Outdoor Recreation Act'' or the 
``U.S. OUTDOOR Act''. This legislation will reduce the high tariffs on 
outdoor apparel and will invest in research to shrink the environmental 
footprint of the American textile industry while increasing its 
international competitiveness.
  According to recent surveys, roughly 33 million Americans went 
fishing last year and 56 million went hiking. Through healthy outdoor 
activities like bird watching, ice climbing, hiking, and bass fishing, 
outdoor recreation contributes $730 billion and 6.5 million jobs to the 
U.S. economy.
  Unfortunately, recreational performance outerwear--jackets and pants 
used for skiing and snowboarding, mountaineering, hunting, fishing and 
dozens of other outdoor activities--is assessed some of the highest 
duty rates applied to any products imported into the United States. 
While the average duty on imports is less than 2 percent, the rates on 
recreational performance outerwear average 17 percent, with some as 
high as 28 percent.
  These disproportionately high tariffs were originally implemented to 
protect U.S. manufacturers from foreign competition, but now no longer 
serve that purpose. Instead, they stifle innovation and raise costs 
throughout our economy. In a recent report, the U.S. International 
Trade Commission recently found that there was no commercially viable 
production of recreational performance outerwear in the United States.
  To better reflect this economic reality, the U.S. OUTDOOR Act will 
establish new tariff classifications for these products and will 
eliminate the disproportionately high tariffs assessed on them.
  The legislation will also establish the Sustainable Textile and 
Apparel Research (STAR) Fund. Access to STAR Fund grants will be made 
available to certain non-profit organizations through a competitive 
process, with the overarching purpose of advancing U.S. competitiveness 
in lean manufacturing technologies and supply chain analysis. The STAR 
Fund will ultimately help the global textile and apparel industry in 
minimizing energy and water use, reducing waste and carbon emissions 
and incorporating sustainable practices into a product's entire life 
cycle.
  Through these mechanisms, this legislation will support the outdoor 
industry, consumers of outdoor products, and environmental practices 
throughout the textile industry supply chain. I look forward to working 
with my colleagues to pass this important legislation.

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