Bill Filed for Duty-Free Imports of Textiles and Apparel from Nepal

On January 7, 2015, Senator Dianne Feinstein (Dem., Calif.) introduced S.81, the Nepal Trade Preferences Act, to authorize preferential treatment for certain imports from Nepal, and for other purposes. The bill would provide for duty-free entry of textiles and apparel wholly assembled in Nepal, without regard to the country of origin of the yarn or fabric used to make the articles, for a period of ten years, subject to the cap as to the total quantity entering duty free under this program. The cap begins at an amount equal to 1.5 percent of all U.S. textile and apparel imports and grows to 3.5%.