Representatives Espaillat and Rouzer Announce Textile Caucus for the 119th Congress

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13) and David Rouzer (R-NC-07) announced the launch of the Congressional Textile Caucus for the 119th Congress: 

"In the United States alone, there are more than 600,000 textile workers, whose fingerprints can be found on everything from personal protective equipment (PPE), to high quality running shoes and our military uniforms," said Rep. Espaillat. "In neighboring countries in Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of South America, millions of workers utilize U.S. cotton and fiber inputs to create t-shirts, jeans, and countless other textile and apparel products, which are shipped back to U.S. stores duty-free, creating a circular, mutually beneficial coproduction environment throughout the Northern Triangle. As a co-chair of the Textile Caucus for the 119th Congress, I look forward to addressing incaution and potential risks from players like Shein, Temu, and others and their special interests in Washington. Together, in collaboration with co-chair Rouzer, our colleagues, and textile employees from across the Hemisphere, we will work to end unfair trade practices in the 119th Congress."

“As a key pillar of our economy and the nation's leading textile producer, North Carolina's textile industry is vital. It sustains thousands of jobs, strengthens rural communities, and fuels innovation. The bipartisan Textile Caucus is committed to protecting our domestic industry, advocating for fair trade, and supporting America’s cotton growers,” said Congressman Rouzer.

“On behalf of the U.S. textile industry, we sincerely appreciate the leadership of Reps. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) and David Rouzer (R-NC), the new co-chairs of the House Textile Caucus who are re-launching this critical congressional caucus today. As the co-chairs of the House Textile Caucus, Congressmen Espaillat and Rouzer will advocate for key manufacturing policies and other initiatives aimed at preserving and expanding the vital domestic textile supply chain and coproduction chain with our Western Hemisphere trade partners, bolstering government procurement of American-made textile products, stepped up customs enforcement of trade fraud and penalties, and countering ongoing threats from predatory trade practices that have harmed our industry. We look forward to working closely with the co-chairs and the entire bipartisan caucus to further promote this vital supply chain, which supplies more than 8,000 items to the U.S. military and makes innovative and cutting-edge products for the commercial and industrial markets, employing nearly 500,000 workers and producing $64 billion in output,” said NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas.

“American Circular Textiles (ACT) welcomes the relaunch of the Congressional Textile Caucus under the leadership of Representatives Espaillat and Rouzer. Strengthening the U.S. textile industry is not just an economic imperative—it’s key to driving a competitive domestic business environment, prosperous U.S. workforce, and circular future. We look forward to collaborating with the Caucus to drive policies that bolster domestic manufacturing, support innovative reuse and recycling solutions, and reinforce the U.S. as a leader in responsible textile production,” saidRachel Kibbe, CEO + Founder, American Circular Textiles (ACT).

The United States is the second largest global exporter of textile-related products and is a lead exporter of fiber, textiles and apparel, which reached nearly $30 billion in 2023, with total value shipments of national exports for textiles and apparel nearly $65 billion annually. Additionally, U.S. textile manufacturing plays a critical role throughout Western Hemisphere supply chains, including for critical uniforms and equipment, textile production, and PPE.

Members of the Textile Caucus: 
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Co-Chair
Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC), Co-Chair 
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL)
Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL)
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA)
Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT)
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA)
Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA)
Rep. David Scott (D-GA)
Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL)
Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY)
Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA)
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA)
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS)
Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ)
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC)
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)
Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC)
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN)
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX)
Rep. John Carter (R-TX)
Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA)
Rep. Don Davis (D-NC)
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC)
Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC)
Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA)
Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC)
Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-NC)
Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA)
 

# # #

Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fifth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 119th Congress. He is Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.

Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov