US textile industry mourns the passing of Congressman Bill Pascrell

Rep. Bill Pascrell, longtime New Jersey congressman, co-chair of the House Textile Caucus and fierce opponent of Donald Trump, passed away Wednesday morning at the age of 87.

A Democrat, Rep. Pascrell lived his entire life in Paterson, New Jersey, where he advocated for workers’ rights and working families. Since 2013, he has also served as co-chair of the House Textile Caucus with Rep. Patrick McHenry and passionately defended the US textile industry.

“The entire US textile industry is mourning the loss of Congressman Bill Pascrell, a true leader and advocate for critical manufacturing policies aimed at bolstering the domestic supply chain and confronting ongoing threats from predatory trade practices,” said Kim Glas, president of the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), a Washington DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers in a statement. “We commend his significant contributions – not just to the US domestic industry—but for American manufacturers and workers everywhere.”

In April this year, Rep. Pascrell advocated for the Import Security and Fairness Act, introduced by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), which seeks to remove de minimis treatment for all Chinese imports. Additionally, he co-authored an op-ed piece with Congressman McHenry that highlighted the pressing need to boost investment, prioritize onshoring and nearshoring of textile and apparel production, and preserve the integrity of the US-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR).

He also co-sponsored legislation to strengthen the American PPE supply chain by extending the Berry Amendment to cover nearly all federal PPE purchases. A steadfast advocate for US textiles and manufacturing, he actively engaged in policy efforts to preserve and expand the domestic manufacturing sector. Furthermore, he collaborated closely with Rep. McHenry on key textile issues to further the interests of the U.S. industry and its workforce.

“He will be missed deeply by the industry and to all who knew him,” added Glas. “We extend our gratitude to a manufacturing warrior and express our condolences to the entire Pascrell family and his staff team.”