FDRA President Matt Priest made the following comments on Senate passage of the Customs Reauthorization bill (Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015):

FDRA President Matt Priest made the following comments on Senate passage of the Customs Reauthorization bill (Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015):

We applaud the Senate for passing the bipartisan Customs reauthorization bill today. This legislation will help facilitate international trade for U.S. footwear companies and modernize U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP). Strengthening trade enforcement through the bill is important to gaining congressional support for approving the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a free trade agreement that will generate half a billon dollars in savings for footwear consumers and companies in the first year of implementation and $6 billion in the first decade.

Priest continued, “We are pleased that the Senate also made a commitment to move forward on considering the Marketplace Fairness Act this year. Sales tax fairness is vital to footwear retailers, and we look forward to continuing to work with Congress on this important issue.”

Background: Following House approval in December, the U.S. Senate approved the customs bill today by a 75-20 vote.  The legislation will now go to President Obama for his signature.

The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) is the footwear industry’s voice in Washington.  In all, it represents over 130 companies and 200 footwear brands, 80% of total U.S. footwear sales, making it America’s largest and most respected footwear trade association.