High Standards Never Go Out of Style

ClothesPAC is the name we use for the federally registered political action committee of the American Apparel & Footwear Association. ClothesPAC is dedicated to supporting pro-apparel and footwear candidates for the United States Senate and House of Representatives.

Why is ClothesPAC necessary? 

It has become a simple fact in Washington that political candidates need financial resources to hire the expertise and media needed to ensure that their message reaches their constituents.  In 2000, Congressional candidates raised and spent more than $1 billion in campaigns for the House of Representatives and the Senate.  In 2002, candidates worked to reach new constituents because of redistricting and in 2004, as new campaign finance rules (raising the maximum contributions allowed from individuals) take effect, these figures should be eclipsed. 

As individuals working in the apparel and footwear industries, you have several opportunities to participate in the political process.  You can vote, you can write letters and emails, you can watch debates and read articles about current events, you can attend town hall meetings or invite your representative to visit your community and workplace, and you can contribute to the campaigns of candidates who support your views and issues. 

To ensure that your voice is heard, you should take advantage of as many of these avenues as possible to convey your support for particular candidates. ClothesPAC is a key tool in helping us amplify the reach and resources of AAFA in Washington.  It does this by collecting personal contributions from individuals associated with AAFA and its member companies, and distributing them to Senators and Members of Congress who support a regulatory and legislative environment that enable AAFA companies the best opportunity to compete. 

Federal law allows individuals to contribute $5,000 per year to ClothesPAC. Below are three resources you may find useful.  First is a link to the information put out by Federal Election Commission (FEC) - the body that oversees elections and political campaigns - on annual contributions.  Second is a link to a special authorization form.  Before we can solicit the executive and administrative personnel of AAFA member companies for contributions, they need to provide us special permission, each year, to be solicited. Federal law prohibits ClothesPAC from soliciting contributions from persons other than the executive and administrative personnel of its member companies that have given prior authorization to solicit them. Any contribution received from any other person will be returned.

Updated FEC Contribution Limits for 2007-2008 Authorization Form

For more information on ClothesPAC, please contact Kurt Courtney at 703.797.9039.