Duty Suspensions for Imported Products

DUTY SUSPENSIONS FOR IMPORTED PRODUCTS -- (Senate - November 19, 2004)

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to ask my colleague about the conference report to accompany H.R. 1047, the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2004, which passed the Senate floor by unanimous consent earlier today. This legislation contains a number of duty suspensions for imported products. The duty suspensions help make American industry competitive by allowing companies to reduce costs on needed inputs. An important criterion for duty suspension is that the imported product cannot compete with a domestic product.

I am concerned that duty suspensions were included in the bill for eight pigments that may compete directly with pigments produced in my State. If so, it could directly affect hundreds of workers in my State. The provisions at issue are: Sections 1439, 1440, 1441, 1452, 1453, 1454, 1455, and 1456.

I understand that the Department of Commerce has been contacted about these provisions and is willing to review them to determine whether they are appropriate for inclusion in this bill. Will the Senator work with me to ensure that the Department of Commerce completes its analysis?

Mr. GRASSLEY. I appreciate the Senator raising this issue with me. I am happy to work with the Senator from Kentucky and the Commerce Department to ensure that an appropriate and timely analysis is completed. I recognize that the duty suspensions in question take effect on January 1, 2005. If the results of this analysis demonstrate that the inclusion of these provisions in H.R. 1047 was inappropriate, I will gladly work with him to try and rectify the situation at the earliest possible date.

Mr. BUNNING. I thank my colleague and I pledge to work closely with you to resolve this matter.

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