Central Louisiana News

U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, Ron Wyden, and five of their colleagues have urged U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to ramp up oversight and enforcement of supply chains to ensure that Chinese companies are not evading U.S. laws against forced labor. The senators specifically called on CBP to enforce the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which allow for oversight of trading partners' supply chains.

In a letter to Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller, the senators expressed concerns about recent reports of textile and apparel mill closures in the United States. They emphasized that insufficient customs enforcement has been cited as a key factor contributing to declining demand. The senators wrote, "Insufficient enforcement can create a pathway for banned Xinjiang cotton to infiltrate regional supply chains and undermine efforts to enforce the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act."

The senators stressed the importance of robust and consistent enforcement of origin and content rules in U.S. trade agreements, as well as the longstanding U.S. ban on products made with forced labor. They highlighted the benefits of the regional textiles and apparel supply chain established by CAFTA-DR and USMCA, which has supported production and employment in the United States and Central American countries.

However, the senators noted a significant decline in CBP's textiles trade enforcement activities in recent years. They pointed out a decrease in on-site trade preference verifications, audits, laboratory analysis, and special enforcement operations. The senators called on CBP to prioritize textile enforcement related to CAFTA-DR and USMCA in the coming year.

The U.S. textile and apparel industry is facing various challenges, including inflationary pressure, supply chain disruptions, and unfair competition from products made with forced labor. The senators urged CBP to address these issues and emphasized their willingness to assist as needed.

The full text of the letter can be read here.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cassidy-wyden-colleagues-urge-cbp-to-stop-imports-of-clothing-made-with-forced-labor-by-ramping-up-oversight-enforcement-of-supply-chains/