WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 1985
CONGRESSMEN RESPOND TO HK'S CRITICISM OF JENKINS BILL
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LOBBYING BY HONG KONG'S COMMISSIONER FOR COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS IN NEW YORK, MR BILL DORWARD, AGAINST THE PROTECTIONIST TEXTILES AND APPAREL TRADE ENFORCEMENT BILL, KNOWN AS THE JENKINS-THURMOND BILL, HAS BROUGHT A SUBSTANTIAL RESPONSE FROM MEMBERS OF THE U.S. CONGRESS, ACCORDING TO A REPORT RECEIVED FROM THE HONG KONG OFFICE IN NEW YORK.
EIGHTEEN REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS HAVE SO FAR REPLIED TO THE LETTER WHICH MR DORWARD SENT TO ALL MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS LAST MONTH, POINTING OUT SOME OF THE INCONSISTENCIES IN THE BILL.
+THE RESPONSE IS GRATIFYING, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT CONGRESS IS NOW IN ITS SUMMER RECESS AND MANY MEMBERS ARE ON VACATION OR OVERSEAS VISITS,+ MR DORWARD SAID.
AMONG THOSE WRITING TO HIM WERE LEADING SENATORS EDWARD KENNEDY OF MASSACHUSSETTS AND BILL BRADLEY OF NEW JERSEY.
ONE IMPORTANT LETTER WAS FROM SENATOR ERNEST HOLLINGS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, WHO IS THE SENIOR DEMOCRAT IN THE CONGRESSIONAL TEXTILE CAUCUS AND WAS A CANDIDATE FOR HIS PARTY'S PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION LAST YEAR.
SENATOR HOLLINGS, WHO IS A CO-SPONSOR OF THE BILL, POINTED OUT THAT TEXTILE IMPORTS HAVE GROWN AT AN ANNUAL RATE OF 19 PER CENT OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WHILE LATEST FIGURES SHOW TEXTILE INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT AT A RECORD LOW.
IN REPLY, MR DORWARD SAID THAT THERE WAS +LITTLE CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IMPORTS AND THE REDUCTION IN U.S. TEXTILE EMPLOYMENT, BECAUSE THE MAIN LOSS IN JOBS HAD BEEN IN THE THREE YEARS BEFORE THE RECENT SURGE IN IMPORTS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT U.S. TEXTILE EXPORTS HAD PEAKED IN 1980 AND THEN HAD TUMBLED AS THE U.S. DOLLAR STRENGTHENED, WIPING OUT THOUSANDS OF JOBS.
MR DORWARD SAID THAT THE JENKINS-THURMOND BILL PROPOSED +SWINGEING CUTBACKS ON CERTAIN THIRD WORLD SUPPLIERS WHOSE EXPORTS IN MANY CASES HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO SOME DEGREE OF RESTRAINT FOR 25 YEARS+.
+THIS WOULD MEAN, IN EFFECT, THAT THESE SUPPLIERS - AND NOTABLY, AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, HONG KONG WHICH IS UNIQUELY DEPENDENT ON THE TEXTILE TRADE AND WHICH OFFERS THE UNITED STATES A COMPLETELY FREE AND OPEN MARKET - WERE BEING PENALISED FOR JOB LOSSES DUE LARGELY TO IMPROVED U.S. PRODUCTIVITY AND AN INFLATED DOLLAR, HE WROTE.
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