Washington
DC Office
307 Dirksen Senate
Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-6441
Fax: 202-224-1724
Wyoming Office
P.O. Box 22201
Casper, WY 82602
307-261-6413
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Contact: Cameron Hardy
202-224-6441 |
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Thomas succeeds in waning moments of 108th Congress
Key trade provisions to help Wyoming producers |
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November 19th, 2004 - WASHINGTON – U. S. Senator Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.) successfully pushed through key trade provisions that passed the Senate today which will make U.S. companies more competitive, help create jobs for American workers, and reduce costs for consumers.
With only hours left before the end of the 108th Congress, Thomas inserted critical provisions into the Miscellaneous Trade Tariff bill. Had he not been successful the 108th Congress would not have addressed the extension for the Wool Trust fund or suspended tariffs on a variety of goods used by U.S. manufacturers.
“Tariffs are designed to protect domestic production. The suspension of U.S. tariffs in this bill is on products not available from a domestic supplier. Since no similar U.S. manufactured product exists in these instances, there is no justification for the tariffs. I’d much rather see U.S. manufacturers keep this money than put it in the U.S. Treasury,” Thomas said.
The Wool Trust Fund consists of four accounts, three of which correspond to manufacturers of wool products at three different stages of production. A fourth account, known as the Wool Research, Development, and Promotion Trust Fund (Research Fund), is used to provide grants to a national council established for the development and promotion of the domestic wool market.
Thomas joined Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) in putting forth a proposal to extend the Wool Trust Fund through 2007. The conference report that passed today included Thomas’ Wool Trust fund.
“The Wool Trust fund is crucial to Wyoming’s wool manufacturers because it opens up new markets for them to explore. More markets equal more dollars in the wallets of our wool producers,” Thomas said.
A second provision championed by Thomas and included in the conference report, will suspend the tariff on acrylic fiber tow. The product is used by an Evanston-based company in their manufacturing process. Acrylic fiber tow is imported to Wyoming from Japan and is manufactured into carbon fiber, which is then used by other companies to manufacture graphite golf club shafts and injection molding materials for industrial applications.
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| 19th - |
current Press Release |
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