Ed Whitfield: “This legislation, as Mr. Sarbanes adequately described, is relatively simple. It simply amends the Fur Products Labeling…”

“This legislation, as Mr. Sarbanes adequately described, is relatively simple. It simply amends the Fur Products Labeling Act of 1951. That act required accuracy in the labeling of fur products and apparel, but it did not apply to any apparel sold for less than $150. A series of recent investigations revealed that a significant number of clothes designers and retailers were selling some fur-trimmed garments described as faux or raccoon or coyote or mink or whatever, when actually it turned out to be dog fur or something else. As a matter of fact, of 38 jackets subjected to very specific tests, every single garment of those 38 was either unlabeled or it contained a label that misidentified the animal's fur that was used in that garment. And so this legislation is about transparency, providing consumers with accurate information on what they're buying. Eighty-seven percent of garments sold in the U.S. today with fur already are required to abide by this. This will simply require the other 13 percent, those valued below $150, to abide by the same law. And consumer protection organizations, retail, and even the fashion industry all support this legislation.”