Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is leading an effort to urge the Obama administration to eschew trade policies that would harm the U.S. footwear industry.
U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman traveled to Maine on Monday to visit the New Balance manufacturing facility in Norridgewock.
Collins urged Froman to pursue a fair trade policy that would maintain and increase the number of manufactured goods and manufacturing jobs in the United States in a recent letter she sent to both Froman and her constituents.
“There is no better example of the impact of trade decisions than New Balance’s ability to provide nearly 900 good jobs in our state,” Collins said in the letter. “It is Ambassador Froman’s job to negotiate aggressively and implement a trade policy that honors the commitment of the workers at this facility, who fulfill their end of the bargain when they perform their work with painstaking precision and quality control.”
Collins said the federal government’s purchasing power is also a significant tool to support goods and services produced in America. Collins pointed to running shoes purchased for military service members that are not made in America as an example.
Collins and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) recently introduced a bill to close a defense acquisition loophole so that footwear for U.S. troops would be purchased from the United States even for troops who are stationed abroad.
“Sen. Collins is a tireless champion for domestic manufacturing in general and footwear manufacturing in particular,” New Balance President and CEO Rob DeMartini said. “New Balance is proud to have her unwavering support. We are hopeful that Ambassador Froman’s visit will help shape his priorities and encourage manufacturing in Maine.”