Why It Matters

Jockey International, the Wisconsin-based underwear and apparel brand, has entered the federal lobbying arena for the first time, retaining Checkmate Government Relations LLC to lobby on trade and manufacturing issues. The lobbying registration disclosure, signed May 4, 2026, marks the company's first appearance in federal lobbying records.

The Jockey International lobbying registration arrives at a moment when apparel brands face some of the highest effective tariff rates in decades. According to research published at FASH455 Global Apparel & Textile Trade and Sourcing, the average tariff rate on U.S. apparel imports reached 35.1 percent in December 2025, up from 14.7 percent at the start of President Trump's second term. That's a more than doubling of effective rates in under a year. For a company that sources from countries including India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka, according to Trademo, the tariff exposure is direct and significant.

By the Numbers

The congressional lobbying filing shows no dollar amount disclosed yet, as is standard for new registrations. Jockey International has no prior lobbying expenditure history on record.

The Jockey International lobbyists on the account are all from Checkmate Government Relations:

  • Ches McDowell IV, a firm principal
  • Chris LaCivita Jr., a firm principal
  • Miles Johnson, who previously served as Special Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Special Assistant to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Executive Assistant to the Senior Advisor to the President for Policy at the White House, Confidential Assistant at the Office of Management and Budget, and Legislative Aide to Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)
  • Teresa Morgenstern, who previously served as Communications Director for Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK-4)

The team brings a mix of executive branch and congressional experience, with Johnson's background spanning Treasury, the White House, and OMB, particularly relevant to trade policy.

The Agenda

The lobbying registration disclosure lists two issue areas: trade (both domestic and foreign) and manufacturing. No specific legislation is identified in the filing, and no bills are referenced in the congressional lobbying filing. The disclosure does not include any description of specific issues being lobbied.

Given the absence of specifics, the scope of the engagement remains broad. Trade and manufacturing are wide-ranging categories that can encompass tariff policy, sourcing regulations, domestic production incentives, and import rules, among other areas.

Broader Context

Jockey's sourcing footprint sits squarely in the countries most affected by the Trump administration's tariff actions. Reuters reported in April 2025 that Bangladesh faces a 35 percent U.S. tariff, raising an alarm across the garment industry. The Business and Human Rights Centre noted that if those duties take effect, U.S. buyers could shift orders significantly.

The financial stakes for comparable companies are substantial. Research from FASH455 documented one underwear brand facing a gross tariff impact of approximately $120 million, with a net fiscal year impact of roughly $50 million after mitigation. The same research noted that men's underwear saw some of the highest retail price increases in September 2025 and February 2026 compared to the prior year periods.

The United States Fashion Industry Association estimated that if 2025 import values hold steady, reciprocal tariffs would generate nearly $35 billion in total duties on textile and apparel products, an increase of $19.9 billion over prior levels. The American Apparel & Footwear Association has flagged a Section 122 tariff expiration on July 24, 2026, as a near-term policy deadline the industry is watching closely.

Between the Lines

Congressional activity on trade and manufacturing has been active heading into the period covered by the Jockey International lobbying registration. In April 2026, the House Ways and Means Committee held a full committee hearing on the Trump administration's 2026 trade policy agenda featuring United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. In his testimony, Greer addressed the offshoring of manufacturing directly, stating: "We spent 40 or 50 years offshoring manufacturing, and we are opposed to that. And a lot of it had to do with bad trade policy."

A separate budget hearing for the Office of the United States Trade Representative also took place in April 2026, again featuring Greer and covering domestic manufacturing and tariff policy.

On the member communications front, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) stated for National Manufacturing Day in October 2025, and separately introduced the Buying American Cotton Act in May 2025, which would provide a tax credit to incentivize U.S.-grown cotton products manufacturing. Hyde-Smith is the former employer of Checkmate lobbyist Miles Johnson. Rep. Tom Cole, the former employer of lobbyist Teresa Morgenstern, in May 2025 for creating export opportunities for U.S. producers.

Competitive Landscape

Checkmate Government Relations has an established track record on trade and manufacturing issues. The firm has represented HanesBrands Inc., a direct competitor to Jockey in the underwear and basics category, on manufacturing and tariff issues, with approximately $290,000 in disclosed lobbying over recent filings. The same lobbyists now registered for Jockey, including McDowell, have worked on the HanesBrands account.

Checkmate's broader client roster spans energy, financial services, healthcare, and gaming, with the firm's top clients in the past year including Binance Holdings Ltd. at $1.35 million and the Sports Betting Alliance at $1.05 million.

The Bottom Line

Jockey International's entry into federal lobbying, via a firm with existing apparel industry experience, reflects the pressure the broader sector is under from tariff policy. The company's first-ever appearance in federal lobbying records coincides with a period of significant trade policy activity in Congress and the executive branch. No specific legislative targets are disclosed, but the issue areas, trade and manufacturing, track closely with the policy debates most directly affecting the company's supply chain and cost structure.

Access the Legis1 platform for comprehensive political news, data, and insights.