The United States Senate today passed the U.S. Manufacturing Enhancement Act of 2010, better known as the miscellaneous tariff bill, or MTB (H.R. 4380). Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) hailed the Senate’s action as a major legislative victory for OIA, the outdoor industry and outdoor customers across the country. The vote by unanimous consent meant that the more than $21 million in cost savings on specialty outdoor footwear and other outdoor products enacted by the 2006 MTB would be extended for at least another year and a half, say sources from the Outdoor Industry Assocication.

The U.S. House of Representative previously voted to pass the bill.

The MTB contains several outdoor products, including extensions of several duty suspensions on waterproof breathable footwear that OIA guided to congressional passage in 2006, and also includes ski and snowboard equipment and footwear, and bicycle parts and accessories.

Because many of the bills included in the U.S. Manufacturing Enhancement Act are extensions of previously enacted, but since expired tariff suspensions, the MTB has a provision making it retroactive to January 1, 2010. Outdoor companies will have 180 days from enactment to file reimbursement for duties paid from the first of the year to the date of enactment.

The legislation now goes to President Obama for his signature.