Washington, D.C.  -  Congressman Mike Rogers voted against the Oman Free Trade Agreement today, saying the pact, while comparatively small, could nevertheless further harm the Third District’s textile industry and give countries like China another unfair advantage for increasing exports duty-free to the United States.

“Like so many of our manufacturers, East Alabama’s textile firms have long struggled with unfair overseas competition,” Rogers said. “This bill, like the Bahrain Free Trade Agreement and the Morocco Free Trade Agreement, could give countries like China yet another way to continue unfairly increasing their exports to the United States.”

Rogers said H.R. 5684, the United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement, passed the House today 221-205. In opposing the agreement, Rogers said the pact includes potentially harmful Tariff Preference Levels (TPL’s) that provide countries like China and India a possible “back door” for importing increased numbers of cheaply made foreign goods.

Rogers said several national textile organizations opposed the Oman free trade agreement, which they said was structured similarly to the Bahrain and Morocco free trade agreements. Rogers opposed both of those trade bills.

“As the son of a textile worker, I strongly believe Congress must do all it can for manufacturers to help level the playing field with China,” Rogers said. “While comparatively small, I remain disappointed this bill passed.”

 

 
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