BUSH ADMINISTRATION RE-IMPOSES SOCK TARIFF

And, while appreciative of any such move, it seems that many people see the measure as being little more than a band-aid on a bullet wound.

Congressman Robert Aderholt, who voted in favor of CAFTA in 2005, stated that while he is appreciative of the actions of the administration to finally have some safeguard to protect against Honduran socks, he is both disappointed and frustrated by news that the safeguard is only for six months and at only 5%, all the while promising to continue to be a thorn in the side of the administration when it comes to fighting to protect the American sock industry and all manufacturing jobs.

Aderholt went on to say that he desires a greater level of fairness in trade policy.

The administration could have chosen to impose a much stiffer tariff of nearly 13.5% over three years, but Matt Priest, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles and Apparel, insisted that a more limited measure was needed, commenting only that the decision was made following an extensive investigation.

Honduras reportedly imported 27.3 million dozen pairs of socks into the U.S. through the first eleven months of 2007, a 99% increase from the same period a year earlier.

Gildan Activewear, which has one plant in Honduras and is currently in the process of constructing a second, bought one of Dekalb Countys largest job providers, Prewett & Son Hosiery Mills, in September of 2007.