AAFA's Rick Helfenbein joined Jessica Dean on CNN
on June 1 to discuss the industry and trade policy.

Your voice could save your business: AAFA is speaking with reporters around the clock from TV to radio to print about the disastrous impacts of punitive tariffs on the $300 billion is U.S. imports from China. AAFA President and CEO Rick Helfenbein has requested to testify and is awaiting a scheduled date; testimony will begin the week of June 17 and could last for weeks. And on May 30, we joined with four other footwear trade groups in sending a letter to the president opposing the proposed use of punitive tariffs on footwear equipment, footwear inputs, and finished footwear imported to the U.S. from China. AAFA members and stakeholders should ACT NOW if you haven’t already.

1. PLEASE SUBMIT A REQUEST TO TESTIFY by Monday, the June 10 deadline. Please talk to Steve Lamar for additional support including a document with step-by-step instructions.

2. Consider speaking out in the press regarding how these policies will impact the industry and our consumers to help reverse the tariff momentum from this administration. We need your help to keep the message relevant and personal now more than ever.

Tariff threats on Mexico: As our industry seeks to diversify out of China, we learned Thursday that the Trump administration has very real intentions of slapping tariffs on ALL goods imported to the U.S. from Mexico. According to the White House statement, the United States will impose a 5% tariff on all goods imported from Mexico starting on Monday, June 10. Tariffs will increase on the first day of each subsequent month to 10%, 15%, 20%, all the way to 25%, dependent upon Mexico’s response to immigration concerns.

AAFA responded with a statement explaining that this move is unfathomable, that Americans will pay more for everything from jeans to cars to computers to machinery, and that these tariffs are disastrous for the American economy. Mexico is the 8th largest supplier of apparel and 7th largest supplier of footwear to the U.S. market. It is the largest supplier of men's and boy's jeans to the U.S. market (35% of imports). AAFA members will continue to receive updates as the situation unfolds, especially members of the AAFA Government Relations Committee who have opted in for more frequent updates, and who help AAFA react forcefully as new tariff threats arise. Contact membership for more on how to access these play-by-play updates from AAFA trade expert Steve Lamar.

In other trade news: AAFA joined with its European counterparts to oppose new tariffs proposed by both the U.S. and the EU as part of the dispute over aircraft subsidies. AAFA also submitted comments to the U.S. International Trade Commission supporting the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, which supports strong U.S.-Haiti trade links.

See all of AAFA’s latest letters, comments, and testimony here.