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119-hr-10372119th CongressWALLET

FABRIC Act

Sponsored By: Representative Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]

Introduced

Summary

Establish stronger pay floors and brand liability in the U.S. garment industry. This bill would ban piece‑rate pay, require hourly minimums, create an annual registration system for garment manufacturers and contractors, set up an Office of the Garment Industry, and fund a competitive grant program to support domestic garment manufacturing.

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  • Workers: Garment workers would no longer be paid by the piece in commerce‑linked workweeks and must receive at least the federal hourly minimum. Incentive bonuses stay allowed and a bona fide collective bargaining agreement can set a wage at least 10% above the higher of the state or federal minimum.
  • Brands and employers: Brand guarantors who contract for garment work would share joint and several liability for wage violations. Brand guarantors get an affirmative defense if they can prove no knowledge, while remedies for violations include legal and equitable relief and liquidated damages.
  • Manufacturers and industry support: Manufacturers and contractors would need annual registration with detailed owner and employee data and face penalties, suspension, or revocation for noncompliance. The bill also creates an Office of the Garment Industry and a National Domestic Garment Manufacturing Support Program with $100 million authorized for grants across FY2027–FY2032 for training, equipment, and safety improvements.

*Would increase federal spending by at least $100 million for the grant program across FY2027–FY2032 and authorize additional appropriations to establish and run the Office.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 3 mixed.

Hourly pay and stronger wage remedies

This bill would require covered garment production workers to be paid at least the federal minimum hourly wage and would ban piece‑rate pay in covered workweeks starting 6 months after enactment. Employers could still pay incentive bonuses. The bill would let workers recover lost wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages, so total recovery could equal twice lost pay.

Competitive grants to U.S. makers

This bill would create a National Domestic Garment Manufacturing Support Program to award competitive grants to U.S. garment manufacturers and nonprofit workforce organizations. Grants could pay for training, tools and equipment, facility acquisition and safety improvements, and employee rights education. No single grant could exceed $5,000,000 and the program is authorized $100,000,000; recipients must report within 6 months and may have to return misused funds.

New annual registration for makers

Beginning 6 months after enactment, this bill would require every garment manufacturer and contractor to register each year with the Secretary of Labor. Registration would require detailed business data, names and addresses for all production employees, owners' Social Security numbers (and similar info for officers and major shareholders), photographic ID for owners/officers, workers' compensation verification, and payment of an annual fee. The Secretary could suspend or revoke registrations and impose civil penalties for misrepresentation or noncompliance.

Brands can be held responsible

This bill would let workers seek wage and other remedies from brand guarantors that contract for garment manufacturing. Brands and employers could be jointly and severally liable for violations that occur while workers perform work for that brand. A brand guarantor would have an affirmative defense if it proves it had no knowledge of the violation. These rules would take effect 6 months after enactment.

Who counts as a garment business

This bill would define key terms like "garment," "garment manufacturer," "garment contractor," and "brand guarantor," and list covered activities such as sewing, cutting, dyeing, finishing, and related operations. The Secretary of Labor would be able to issue implementing regulations. The bill would also repeal section 10 of the Fair Labor Standards Act. These definitions and the repeal would take effect 6 months after enactment.

New DOL garment office and funding

This bill would create an Office of the Garment Industry at the Department of Labor led by an Undersecretary. The office would run registration, administer the grant program, and help enforce the garment rules. Congress would be authorized $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 and $3,000,000 for each fiscal year 2028–2032 to establish and operate the office.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]

NY • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 9/14/2026

  • Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 9/14/2026

  • Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 9/14/2026

  • Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/14/2026

  • Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 9/14/2026

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 9/14/2026

  • Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 9/14/2026

  • Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 9/14/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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