II 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1719 

To eliminate duties on imports of recreational performance outerwear, to 

establish the Sustainable Textile and Apparel Research Fund, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 2, 2017 

Mr. BLUNT (for himself and Ms. CANTWELL) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To eliminate duties on imports of recreational performance 

outerwear, to establish the Sustainable Textile and Apparel Research Fund, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States Optimal 

5 Use of Trade to Develop Outerwear and Outdoor Recre6 ation Act’’ or the ‘‘U.S. OUTDOOR Act’’. 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 1719 IS

1 SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF DUTIES ON RECREATIONAL PER2 FORMANCE OUTERWEAR. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Each subheading of the Har4 monized Tariff Schedule of the United States specified in 

5 subsection (b) is amended— 

6 (1) by striking the matter in the column one 

7 general rate of duty column and inserting ‘‘Free’’; 

8 and 

9 (2) by striking the matter in the column one 

10 special rate of duty column. 

11 (b) SUBHEADINGS SPECIFIED.—The subheadings of 

12 the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 

13 specified in this subsection are the following: 

6201.91.03 ..................... 6203.41.03 ..................... 6204.69.02 

6201.91.05 ..................... 6203.41.06 ..................... 6204.69.03 

6201.92.05 ..................... 6203.41.08 ..................... 6204.69.04 

6201.92.17 ..................... 6203.42.05 ..................... 6204.69.05 

6201.92.19 ..................... 6203.42.07 ..................... 6204.69.06 

6201.93.15 ..................... 6203.43.03 ..................... 6210.40.15 

6201.93.18 ..................... 6203.43.05 ..................... 6210.40.25 

6201.93.45 ..................... 6203.43.09 ..................... 6210.40.28 

6201.93.47 ..................... 6203.43.11 ..................... 6210.40.29 

6201.93.49 ..................... 6203.43.13 ..................... 6210.50.03 

6201.99.15 ..................... 6203.49.01 ..................... 6210.50.05 

6202.91.03 ..................... 6203.49.05 ..................... 6210.50.12 

6202.91.15 ..................... 6203.49.09 ..................... 6210.50.22 

6202.92.03 ..................... 6204.61.05 ..................... 6211.32.50 

6202.92.05 ..................... 6204.61.15 ..................... 6211.33.50 

6202.92.12 ..................... 6204.62.05 ..................... 6211.39.03 

6202.93.01 ..................... 6204.62.15 ..................... 6211.39.07 

6202.93.03 ..................... 6204.63.02 ..................... 6211.39.15 

6202.93.05 ..................... 6204.63.03 ..................... 6211.42.05 

6202.93.07 ..................... 6204.63.08 ..................... 6211.43.05 

6202.93.09 ..................... 6204.63.09 ..................... 6211.49.03 

6202.99.15 ..................... 6204.63.11 ..................... 6211.49.15 

6203.41.01 ..................... 6204.69.01 ..................... 6211.49.25. 

14 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

15 this section shall take effect on the date that is 15 days 

16 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 1719 IS

1 SEC. 3. SUSTAINABLE TEXTILE AND APPAREL RESEARCH 

2 FUND. 

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 

4 Treasury of the United States the Sustainable Textile and 

5 Apparel Research Fund (in this section referred to as the 

6 ‘‘STAR Fund’’). 

7 (b) DEPOSITS.—There shall be deposited into the 

8 STAR Fund amounts equal to the fees collected on rec9 reational performance outerwear under subsection (d). 

10 (c) BOARD OF DIRECTORS.— 

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—The STAR Fund shall be 

12 administered by a board of directors (in this section 

13 referred to as the ‘‘Board’’) composed of 5 individ14 uals familiar with the recreational performance out15 erwear textile and apparel industry, including the 

16 production of raw materials and the finished prod17 ucts thereof, who shall be appointed by the Presi18 dent. 

19 (2) MEMBERS.— 

20 (A) FABRIC OR RAW MATERIAL PRODUC21 TION REPRESENTATIVES.—Not fewer than 2 of 

22 the individuals appointed to the Board under 

23 paragraph (1) shall be representatives of enti24 ties involved in the production of fabrics or raw 

25 materials for use in recreational performance 

26 outerwear in the United States. 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 1719 IS

1 (B) RECREATIONAL PERFORMANCE OUT2 ERWEAR PRODUCTION REPRESENTATIVES.— 

3 Not fewer than 2 of the individuals appointed 

4 to the Board under paragraph (1) shall be rep5 resentatives of entities involved in the produc6 tion of recreational performance outerwear that 

7 pay the fees imposed on the importation of such 

8 outerwear under subsection (d). 

9 (3) INELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.—The President 

10 may not appoint individuals to the Board under 

11 paragraph (1) who are representatives of entities not 

12 involved in the production of recreational perform13 ance outerwear, such as customs brokers, converters, 

14 forwarders, or shippers. 

15 (d) FUNDING.— 

16 (1) FEE.—In addition to any other fee author17 ized by law, the Secretary of the Treasury shall 

18 charge and collect upon entry, or withdrawal from 

19 warehouse for consumption, a fee of 1.5 percent of 

20 the appraised value of imported garments (as deter21 mined under section 402 of the Tariff Act of 1930 

22 (19 U.S.C. 1401a)) that are classifiable under the 

23 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States as 

24 recreational performance outerwear (as defined in 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•S 1719 IS

1 Additional U.S. Note 3 to chapter 62 of such Sched2 ule). 

3 (2) EXCLUSIONS.—The assessment of fees 

4 under paragraph (1) shall not apply to imports of 

5 recreational performance outerwear from the fol6 lowing: 

7 (A) Any country that is party to a free 

8 trade agreement with the United States that— 

9 (i) is in effect on the day before the 

10 date of the enactment of this Act; or 

11 (ii) enters into force under the Bipar12 tisan Congressional Trade Priorities and 

13 Accountability Act of 2015 (19 U.S.C. 

14 4201 et seq.), or similar subsequent au15 thority. 

16 (B) Any country designated as a CBTPA 

17 beneficiary country under section 213(b)(5)(B) 

18 of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act 

19 (19 U.S.C. 2703(b)(5)(B)). 

20 (C) Any country designated as a bene21 ficiary sub-Saharan African country under sec22 tion 506A(a)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 

23 U.S.C. 2466a(a)(1)), if the President has deter24 mined that the country has satisfied the re25 quirements of section 113(a) of the African 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
6 

•S 1719 IS

1 Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 

2 3722(a)), and has published that determination 

3 in the Federal Register. 

4 (3) TERMINATION.—The fee under paragraph 

5 (1) shall apply only to entries, or withdrawals from 

6 warehouse for consumption, that are made during 

7 the 10-year period beginning on the date of the en8 actment of this Act. 

9 (e) DISTRIBUTION.— 

10 (1) QUARTERLY DISTRIBUTIONS.—The Sec11 retary of Commerce, upon a majority vote of the 

12 Board, taken annually, shall, not later than 60 days 

13 after the end of each calendar quarter, distribute 

14 amounts in the STAR Fund to one or more entities 

15 that the Board considers appropriate to use the 

16 funds in accordance with subsection (f). 

17 (2) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—An entity 

18 may receive funds under paragraph (1) only if the 

19 entity— 

20 (A) is an organization described in section 

21 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 

22 that is exempt from tax under section 501(a) of 

23 such Code; 

24 (B) is an organization having at least 10 

25 years of experience providing applied research, 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
7 

•S 1719 IS

1 technology development, and education to all 

2 parts of the textile and apparel supply chain, 

3 with a research capability demonstrated 

4 through past research programs involving sup5 ply chain management, product development, fit 

6 specifications, operations management, lean 

7 manufacturing, or digital supply chain tech8 nologies on behalf of the textile and sewn prod9 ucts industries in the United States; and 

10 (C) is comprised of members representing 

11 the following segments of the supply chain: 

12 (i) One or more of the following types 

13 of producers: fiber, yarn, or fabric pro14 ducers in the United States. 

15 (ii) Apparel producers in the United 

16 States. 

17 (iii) Retail companies in the United 

18 States. 

19 (f) USE OF FUNDS.—Funds distributed under sub20 section (e) may be used only to conduct applied research, 

21 development, and education activities to enhance the com22 petitiveness of businesses in the United States in clean, 

23 eco-friendly apparel, other textile and apparel articles, and 

24 sewn-product design and manufacturing. 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
8 

•S 1719 IS

1 (g) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary of Commerce 

2 may impose such requirements on the use of funds distrib3 uted under subsection (e) as the Secretary considers nec4 essary to ensure compliance with subsection (f), including 

5 requiring reporting and assurances by the entities using 

6 the funds. 

7 (h) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary of Com8 merce shall submit to Congress a report, not later than 

9 April 1 of each year, explaining in detail how amounts in 

10 the STAR Fund were distributed under subsection (e) and 

11 used under subsection (f) during the preceding calendar 

12 year. 

Æ 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS