A HOUSE RESOLUTION urging the committee on the implementation of textile agreements to approve the safeguard petitions filed by the United States Government and the united states textile industry.
Whereas, the World Trade Organization agreement placing quotas on imported textile and apparel products expired on January 1, 2005; and
Whereas, since the expiration of those quotas there has been a surge of textile and apparel imports into the United States, in particular imports from China; and
Whereas, independent studies and polling from the United States importing and retailing community show that China could capture from fifty to ninety percent total United States market share in textiles and apparel in short order unless the United States government imposes safeguards; and
Whereas, the preliminary monitoring data on textile and apparel imports compiled by U.S. Department of Commerce shows huge increases in the quantity of imports from China for the first quarter of 2005 in many product categories including an increase of 1,521% in the quantity of cotton trousers, a 1,257% increase in the quantity of cotton shirts, and a 308% increase in the quantity of underwear; and 
Whereas, this increase in imports of textiles and apparel has disrupted the United States textile market; and
Whereas, since January 1, 2005, there have been an additional 14 plant closings in the United States, three of which were in North Carolina; and
Whereas, the United States government, as of April 6, 2005, has self-initiated a number of safeguard actions against Chinese imports; and
Whereas, the American textile industry has filed an additional seven petitions for safeguard protections; and
Whereas, the People's Republic of China is a signatory to the rules set by the World Trade Organization governing fair trade between sovereign nations and that that set of rules allows for the implementation of textile‑specific safeguards against imports from China on the basis of market disruption or threat thereof; and
Whereas, exporters of textile products from the People's Republic of China have benefited from practices specifically prohibited by the World Trade Organization, including government subsidies, intellectual property piracy, tax rebates, and currency manipulation; and
Whereas, these illegal and unfair practices have enabled Chinese producers to undercut world manufacturers with artificially low prices; and
Whereas, the American textile and apparel industry is the most innovative, efficient, and productive in the world, well able to compete within the sphere of legitimate, lawful global trade; and
Whereas, the American textile and apparel industry is crucial to the defense of the nation, providing over 8,000 separate items to the Armed Forces of the United States, the ability to do so being immediately threatened by predatory Chinese trade practices; and
Whereas, over 100,000 workers in North Carolina are employed in the textile and apparel industry and depend on fair trade policies and practices for their continued employment; and
Whereas, since the phase out of quotas began in 1995, North Carolina has experienced at least 290 plant closings or major layoffs in the textile and apparel industry resulting in approximately 60,000 persons losing their jobs; and
Whereas, the government of the People's Republic of China, in joining the World Trade Organization, explicitly agreed to desist from illegal trade strategies and to accept safeguard provisions in the event the disruption, or the threat of disruption to, of the American textile and apparel market could be shown; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
SECTION 1.  The House of Representatives commends the United States government for initiating safeguard actions to protect the nation's textile industry.
SECTION 2.  The House of Representatives strongly urges and requests the Committee on the Implementation of Textile Agreements to enact the safeguard provisions on textile and apparel categories on the basis of market disruption as petitioned by the American textile industry and as petitioned by the United States government.
SECTION 2.  The Principal Clerk shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the Committee on the Implementation of Textile Agreements and to North Carolina's congressional delegation.
SECTION 3.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.