Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the ATTIRE Act, which we will offer as an amendment to the rule if the previous question is defeated. The most notable aspect of the majority's so-called manufacturing bills before us is their lack of ambition and vision. They are simply messaging bills. So we have an alternative to put forward, a bill that already has broad support in this body. The bill would support textile research and innovation in the United States, strengthening the Make It In America movement as an instrument for creating American jobs, bolstering our economy, and improving our international competitiveness. The ATTIRE Act would establish a Department of Commerce grant program to fund textile research, supporting innovation in the U.S. textile and fiber products industry. The bill is fully paid for. Although our Nation's manufacturing base has suffered major losses over the last 20 years, the American textile industry continues to employ over 500,000 workers across the country and contributes nearly $60 billion to our gross domestic product annually. Even in the face of an economic downturn, the industry continues to thrive and adapt to the competitive global marketplace by remaining at the cutting edge of innovations in textile and fiber technologies. Despite all this, there is currently no dedicated source of Federal funding for research into new textile applications and market opportunities. Mr.…”