Rep. Myrick Seeks Funds For Textile Import Labeling In an effort to help combat illegal textile and
apparel imports, Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC) has won tentative approval of $300,000 to develop a tagging
and identification system for imports. The funds, which would go to the Agricultural Research
Service facility in Clemson, S.C., were contained in this years Department of Agriculture
appropriations bill. The measure still has to clear the full House and the Senate before the funds
will be available.In announcing approval of the funding, Myrick said, “One of the biggest problems
facing our textile producers is the ongoing practice of illegal textile transshipments. To fight
this problem, the US Customs Service personnel who are responsible for inspecting the textiles that
enter our country need the necessary technology and capability to identify illegal textiles.. This
money will go a long way toward advancing the tagging technology to do this.”By James A. Morrissey,
Washington Correspondent
June 2003
