Representing North Carolina’s Ninth District                                                                        

(Washington, D.C.) – {U.S. Representative Sue Myrick (NC-9) today announced $9.5 million for the Fiscal Year 2004 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Conference Report to fight textile transshipments.  The money will be used to fund 70 new U.S. Customs Service personnel specifically designated to enforce the textile provisions of established international trade law.  

Illegal transshipment occurs when countries ship their goods through other countries before it reaches the United States in an effort to bypass US trade laws.  It has been estimated that illegal transshipments cost thousands of textile jobs each year, and billions of dollars to the US economy. 

Over the past several years, the Customs Service has increased the amount of seized textile transshipments, but it has done so without the financial resources it needs.  The $9.5 million that has been secured will give the fiscal relief necessary to continue, as well as expand, the fight against textile transshipments.   

“The $9.5 million Customs has received will stop thousands of textile job losses in this country,” Myrick said.  “I am pleased that this commitment made to the textile industry is fulfilled, and I will continue to work to make sure that our trade laws are enforced.”

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