Irked US senator pulls back support for garments bill

21 Dec '10

1 min read

As an influential American Senator withdrew his support to a bill aimed at earning duty-free access for the Philippine garments made from US textiles in the United States, it has almost ruined the chances of passing the bill.

Sen. Daniel Inouye (D., Hawaii), Chairman of the finance committee, was apparently annoyed over a group of Filipino veterans who dragged the US government into a legal action by filing a class complaint against it and sought compensation.

The senator's back off stimulated the Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo to hand him over a note from President Aquino seeking Inouye's support for getting the proposed bill for Save Our Industries Act passed.

Inouye along with Sen. Christopher Bond presented the bill before the Senate, while Representatives Jim McDermott and Brian Bilbray sponsored it at the House of Representatives.

Trade Undersecretary Cristino L. Panlilio, while speaking on the probabilities of passing the bill without Inouye's support, said that though not impossible but passage of the bill without the Senator's support is highly doubtful.

Around 15 congressmen and four senators have assured their support for the bill.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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