William Helms: “I feel obliged to make sure that the Record reflects that I am genuinely opposed to the request to move to the Andean…”

“I feel obliged to make sure that the Record reflects that I am genuinely opposed to the request to move to the Andean trade bill because I am committed to standing up for the men and women from North Carolina who earn their living in the textile industry. Time and again, these good citizens have been asked to sacrifice their livelihoods for the sake of textile trade liberalization. In 2001, the textile and apparel sector lost almost 141,000 domestic jobs. In North Carolina alone, more than 20,000 jobs were lost last year. The steady erosion of the manufacturing base in North Carolina is creating a genuine crisis, both for the men and women who are out of work, and the communities which depend on a healthy domestic textile industry. The so-called Andean Trade Preferences Act proposes to unilaterally allow duty-free imports of apparel products from the Andean region. This legislation will exacerbate the problems facing our communities rather than assisting our industries and workers. I, therefore, feel obliged to oppose the leader's request.”