A HOUSE RESOLUTION Urging the President of the United states to continue in effect the current safeguards limiting the increase in imports of chinese textiles and urging the congress to expand the trade adjustment assistance program and raise the funding cap.
Whereas, international trade agreements have contributed to the loss of more than 65,000 jobs in the North Carolina textile and apparel industry since 2001; and
Whereas, imports of textile goods from China have increased dramatically since January 1, 2005, when the quotas restricting import levels for textile and apparel products expired pursuant to agreements negotiated through the World Trade Organization (WTO); and
Whereas, China's ability to flood the global market with cheap textile and apparel products is facilitated by its unfair subsidization of its textile and apparel manufacturers and its currency manipulation, in violation of WTO agreements; and
Whereas, North Carolina's political leaders have repeatedly called on the President and his administration to limit the unfair and illegal growth in Chinese imports; and
Whereas, the recent and dramatic increase in imports has disrupted the United States textile industry to the degree that the current administration has imposed safeguards as allowed under the WTO rules, to limit the growth in Chinese imports in certain categories to 7.5 percent a year; and
Whereas, these safeguards can provide North Carolina with vital time to diversify the State's economy and retool its textile industry, thereby reducing the State's vulnerability to global pressures and increasing the State's competitiveness worldwide; and
Whereas, the rise in Chinese imports since January 1, 2005, has been accompanied by an increase in the number of textile and apparel jobs lost in North Carolina, with more than 3,300 North Carolina announced job losses due to business closings and permanent layoffs in the first four months of this year; and
Whereas, the federal government has recognized its responsibility to assist workers who lose their jobs as a result of the globalization of trade with the transition to new, gainful employment through the creation of the U.S. Department of Labor's Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program; and
Whereas, workers whose jobs are lost to China and other countries with which the United States may not have a preferential trade agreement are not currently eligible for the TAA program, and the resources provided by the TAA program are insufficient to meet its intended goals; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
SECTION 1.  The House of Representatives urges the President of the United States and his administration to continue the imposition of China safeguards limiting the growth in imports of targeted textile and apparel products.
SECTION 2.  The House of Representatives urges Congress to provide desperately needed assistance to North Carolina's dislocated textile and apparel workers through reforming the TAA program by:
(1)	Expanding eligibility to include workers whose jobs are lost to China and other countries with which the United States may not have a preferential trade agreement;
(2)	Raising the national funding cap on the TAA program in order to ensure that there are adequate dollars available to serve all workers who are eligible for services;
(3)	Increasing the Health Coverage Tax Credit to cover eighty percent (80%) of dislocated workers' health care premiums, so that more workers can afford to take advantage of the TAA program;
(4)	Providing automatic eligibility for the TAA program for textile and apparel workers; and
(5)	Allowing the State to use a portion of the TAA program funding for administrative purposes.
SECTION 3.  The Principal Clerk shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Committee on the Implementation of Textile Agreements, and the members of the North Carolina congressional delegation.
SECTION 4.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.