CONTACT:           Cass Johnson                                                                       November 3, 2004                                 (202) 756-1422                                                                       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                 email: cjohnson@ncto.org                 NCTO Congratulates President Bush, New and Returning Members of Congress ____________________________ Pledges to Work With Administration, Congress to Ensure Fair Trade Policies for U.S. Textile Industry Washington, DC – James W. Chesnutt, Vice Chairman of the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), issued the following statement on yesterday’s election results: On behalf of the U.S. textile industry, I would like to congratulate President Bush on his hard-fought victory, and we look forward to continuing to work with him and his Administration during the next term.  I also want to congratulate Senator Kerry for his strong effort. We would also like to congratulate Senators-Elect Richard Burr, Jim DeMint and Johnny Isaakson, Reps.-Elect Patrick McHenry and Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, Bob Inglis of South Carolina, and John Barrow of Georgia, as well as all the other senators and representatives from textile and fiber producing states that were elected or re-elected.   Our industry looks forward to working with the Administration and our supporters in Congress during these challenging times. As the textile and apparel quota phase-out approaches, unfair trade practices by China threaten millions of jobs around the world and hundreds of thousands of textile and apparel jobs in the United States. Textile industry petitions calling for safeguard actions against China are today being supported by almost one hundred textile and apparel trade groups from around the globe.    The textile industry appreciates the President’s recent strong statement citing textiles as a specific area that China must either play fair or face the consequences.[1]   And our industry is encouraged that the Administration has so far accepted six of our China textile safeguard petitions for review.    We are also grateful for the strong support from our allies on the Hill as well as the support from new alliances we have forged around the world.  This industry will continue to work diligently with the Administration to ensure that fair trade prevails in textiles and apparel and that China is not allowed to dominate this important sector of the U.S. economy.   [1] Charlotte, NC, Sept 17:  “What I'm saying to other nations is, you treat us the way we treat you. That’s why we were the first administration to invoke the China Textile Safeguard.