Congressmen seek President Bush's support on furniture issues.

U.S Rep. Mel Watt, D-NC, and Rep. Howard Coble, R-NC, leaders of the Congressional Furniture Caucus, organized a letter to President Bush outlining a plan to help the American furniture manufacturing industry.

Watt and Coble secured the signatures of 14 other furniture caucus members on the letter. It accuses the Chinese of violating American antidumping laws and currency manipulation. The letter also stresses support of proposals to improve the long-term competitiveness of the industry, including evaluation of country of origin labeling requirements on furniture. Some in the furniture industry believe labeling of products should be done in a more obtrusive manner, instead of placing an item's country of origin on a box.

In addition, the letter urges support of tax reductions for companies that manufacture in the United States and reform of the Federal Prison Industries program. FPI is a government-owned corporation that is given mandatory source preference in the federal market. Inmates work with FPI to make furniture.

Coble said the letter's release was timely. It was sent to the president shortly before his trip last month to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Conference in Bangkok.

"In order to improve our domestic economy and return stability to the manufacturing sector, we must demonstrate to the international community that we are committed to enforcing our trade agreements, including imposition of sanctions against those countries, such as China, that illegally manipulate currencies and sell goods into the U.S. market at artificially low prices," Coble said.

Watt and Coble formed the Congressional Furniture Caucus earlier this year to bring together members of Congress who want to promote and protect the furniture industry. There are 26 congressmen in the caucus.