15 Sep Controversial Trade Agreement Receives Support From Footwear Industry
The shoe industry descended on Capitol Hill on Sept. 14 to make a renewed case for passing the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
The industry organization Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America organized the day of meetings with Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C., to argue in favor of the hotly debated trade bill, and also to gauge where support lies. According to the FDRA, around two dozen representatives were on hand from brands that included Nike, Adidas and Wolverine World Wide, along with reps from such retailers as Rack Room Shoes, Payless ShoeSource and Walmart.
FDRA president Matt Priest said it was crucial for the industry to continue to take an active and leading role in the TPP debate, especially given the rhetoric in the presidential campaign. On Sept. 14, there were dual protests and hearings on the Hill led by opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders and supporter (and lead negotiator) Ambassador Michael Froman from the office of the United States Trade Representative.