ShareThisYour chance to impact thousands of lives
Every now and then, a chance to do something really good to someone presents itself to us. Some of us might grab the opportunity, knowing it is the right thing to do. That it is right with Jesus, if you’re a Christian or simply right because it’s your civic responsibility. Others miss it for various reasons – lack of resources, lack of understanding, not enough time, fear of a backlash or worse than all of these, apathy or indifference.
But when the prospect of impacting people’s lives in a very positive way by investing only 5 to 10 minutes of your time and without monetary cost to you comes by, wouldn’t you seize that moment? Wouldn’t you feel the slightest guilt turning away, doing nothing and pretending you didn’t care?
“Save Our Industries Act” is your chance to help the Philippines and reach out to our fellow Filipinos and fellow Americans in need. In a nutshell, “Save Our Industries Act” or H.R. 3039/S.3170 is a bill aimed at not only renewing the trade agreement between the Philippine apparel and the US textile manufacturing but also to reinvigorate it to generate jobs for both the Philippines and the United States. The bill also proposes to grant duty-free treatment to certain apparel products wholly assembled in the Philippines and made from US-made fabrics. It also seeks duty-free treatment on a limited range of Philippine exports of “cut-and-sew” apparel products that are not produced in here in the US and therefore, deemed non-sensitive.
The Philippine’s 10-year trade agreement on textiles and apparel with the US is due to expire on December 31 this year. If it is not renewed by the end of this year, four (4) companies in the Philippines will close down, 15,000 workers will be out of job and the Philippines will have lost $150,000 in annual revenue.
Win-Win Proposition
Proponents of the bill highlight mutual benefits for both the Philippines and the United States. US textile exports to the Philippines will increase from $13.5 million in 2009 to $250 million by year 2 and $500 million by year 5 of its implementation. It will create 2, 300 jobs in the US direct manufacturing and textile industry, increasing by years 2 and 3. The Philippines, on the other hand, will gain from its apparel exports $1.32 billion in year 2 and increasing to $3 billion in year 5. Philippine jobs will have an incremental recovery of 50,000 in year 2 and 200,000 in year 5.
H.R. 3039/S.3170 or SAVE Act has gained reciprocal widespread support from the US business sector, among them: the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), the National Retail Federation (NRF), the US Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (US-ITA) and major US textile mills, apparel brands/retailers including Anne Taylor Corporation, Antex Knitting Mills, AVON Products, Liz Claiborne, Natori Company, Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, Carhartt, Columbia Sportswear Company, Gerson & Gerson, and many more.
So far, the bill has gained the following sponsors in Congress: House of Representatives: Democrats Jim McDermott (WA), Bob Filner (CA), Carolyn Maloney (NY), Mazie Hirono (HI), Madeleine Bordallo (GU), Gregorio Sablan (MP) and Jackie Speier (CA); Republicans: Brian Bilbray (CA), Judy Briggert (IL), Erik Paulsen (MN), Charles Boustany (LA), Joseph Pitts (PA), Steve Austria (OH), Charles Djou (HI).
In the Senate, Democrats: Daniel Inouye (HI), Daniel Akaka (HI) and Republicans: Christopher Bond (MO) and John Ensign (NV).
How you can help
There are several but simple ways you can help: First, you can call or write your Congressman and Senator. Visit www.saveourindustriesact.org for more information on how you can do this. You can write your representatives today with sample letters on hand (through friends and advocates of the bill) or electronically through http://capwiz.com/americanapparel/issues/alert/?alertid=17905501.
Time is of the essence in ensuring the success of this bill. The earlier you act on it, the better our chance of getting more sponsors. Your legislators insist on hearing from his constituents. No lobbying efforts will be quite as effective as when we, the constituents, push our issues of concern to our lawmakers.
Leaders who worked to make the Veterans Bill pass struggled for years but they didn’t give up until they finally succeeded. This too, will pass. We just need to have that same resolve!