102nd Congress > House > Vote 690
Clerk session vote number: 273
Description: TRADE EXPANSION ACT OF 1992
Bill summary: Trade Expansion Act of 1992 -
Title I: Market Access Provisions - Subtitle A: Enforcement of United States Rights Under Trade Agreements and Response to Certain Foreign Trade Practices
- Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to extend through calendar year 1997 the requirement that the United States Trade Representative (USTR) identify U.S. trade liberalization priorities.
Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to authorize any interested person to request the USTR to review to determine whether a foreign
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country is in material compliance with the terms of a trade agreement. Defines an "interested person" as any person with a significant economic interest that is being or has been adversely affected by a foreign country's failure to comply materially with terms of a trade agreement. Requires the USTR to determine what action to take if a foreign country is found not in material compliance with such agreement.
Directs the USTR to initiate an investigation of all acts, policies, and practices of Japan, Korea, and Taiwan that affect the access of U.S. rice to their markets. Requires the USTR to negotiate the elimination of such acts, policies, and practices, and report to the Congress on the progress of such negotiations.
Requires the USTR, if he or she determines that a certain act, policy, or practice of a foreign country does not currently burden or restrict U.S. commerce but is likely to if such country either continues to apply, or implement an unexecuted aspect of, such act, policy, or practice, to request consultations with the country to prevent circumstances that may lead to renewed allegations that such act, policy, or practice burdens or restricts U.S. commerce. Provides for expediting such consultations. Requires the USTR to report annually to the Congress on a foreign country's response or progress made with respect to such consultation.
Requires the USTR to identify those foreign countries that deny adequate substantive standards for protection of intellectual property rights.
Requires the USTR, if he or she determines that a foreign country is a priority country and that its denial of adequate protection of intellectual property rights is an act, policy, or practice that is unreasonable and burdens or obstructs U.S. commerce, to identify each reciprocal product that is manufactured by such country and is related to such denial. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury (Secretary) to: (1) deny entry to each reciprocal product, with specified exceptions; and (2) destroy such product unless it is exported from the United States.
Subtitle B: International Trade in Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Parts
- Directs the USTR to initiate an investigation of all acts, policies, and practices of Japan that affect the access of U.S. motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts to its market, including but not limited to: (1) acts, policies, and practices utilized in the Japanese automotive distribution system; (2) toleration of anticompetitive activities by private Japanese firms (including "Keiretsu"); (3) exclusionary business practices; and (4) testing requirements and other government regulations.
Requires the USTR to negotiate with Japan for a comprehensive trade agreement affecting the automotive sector, or, if appropriate, two or more trade agreements that: (1) eliminate or modify such acts, policies, and practices; (2) provide enforcement of Japan's commitments under the Structural Impediments Initiative, the Market-Oriented Sector Specific agreements, and the Action Plan announced at the Tokyo Summit in January 1992 with respect to trade in, and purchase of, motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts; (3) establish long term goals for the purchase by Japanese motor vehicle manufacturers of high value-added motor vehicle parts and accessories from U.S. manufacturers; (4) establish procedures for the exchange of information between the United States and Japan that will permit the accurate assessment of the bilateral trade in motor vehicle parts; and (5) offset any detrimental impact of the European Community-Japan Automobile Agreement on the U.S. motor vehicle industry. Requires specified reports. Requires the President to direct the appropriate Federal agency to monitor implementation of the commitments in the Action Plan to achieve fair trade in motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts.
Amends the Fair Trade in Auto Parts Act of 1988 to extend through December 31, 1998, the authority of the Secretary of Commerce to increase the sale of U.S.-made auto parts and accessories to Japanese markets.
Requires the Board established by the Foreign-Trade Zones Act to: (1) review the operations of U.S. and foreign motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts producers to determine any positive economic effect on the United States of such Act; and (2) take appropriate action, including revocation or modification of a foreign-trade zone or subzone grant, with respect to any producer whose operations in such zone are determined not to have a net positive effect on the U.S. economy.
Title II: Customs Modernization
- Customs Modernization and Informed Compliance Act -
Subtitle A: Improvements in Customs Enforcement
- Amends the Tariff Act of 1980 to revise customs procedures with respect to: (1) electronic transmission of forged, altered, or false data to the United States Customs Service with regard to the entry of imported merchandise; (2) penalties for failure to declare imported controlled substances; (3) examination and detention of imported merchandise; (4) certain recordkeeping requirements; (5) examination of books and witnesses; (6) review of protests by the Customs Service; (7) a repeal of a provision relating to the reliquidation on account of fraud; (8) penalties relating to manifests, false drawback or refund claims, and for fraud, gross negligence, and negligence; (9) unlawful unloading or transshipment; (10) public access to Customs Service interpretative rulings and decisions; and (11) seizure of imported merchandise.
Subtitle B: National Customs Automation Program
- Directs the Secretary to establish the National Customs Automation Program which shall be an automated and electronic system for the processing of commercial imports.
Provides for electronic data transmission relating to: (1) remote location filing; (2) effective date of rates of duty on imported merchandise; (3) merchandise manifests; (4) imported merchandise invoices; (5) entry and release of imported merchandise; (6) admissibility in administrative and judicial proceedings of electronically transmitted information; (7) appraisement and liquidations of imported merchandise; (8) the payment of duties; (9) abandonment and damage to imported merchandise; (10) protests of Customs Service decisions; (11) refunds and errors; (12) bonds and other security; and (13) customs house brokers.
Requires a refund (drawback) of duties (less one per cent of such duties) on articles produced in the United States with imported merchandise that have been destroyed under Customs Service supervision, provided such articles have not been used prior to such destruction.
Sets forth provisions with respect to customs officer's immunity in regard to the appraisement of or collection of duties on imported merchandise.
Subtitle C: Miscellaneous Amendments to the Tariff Act of 1930
- Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to authorize the Secretary to disregard the difference, but not less than $20 (currently ten dollars), between the total estimated duties deposited with respect to imported merchandise and the total amount actually due on such merchandise.
Authorizes the Secretary to admit duty-free: (1) gifts from persons in foreign countries to persons in the United States whose value does not exceed $100 (currently, $50), or $200 (currently, $100) in the case of gifts from persons in the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa; (2) articles accompanying persons for personal or household use whose value does not exceed $200 (currently, $25); or (3) articles whose value does not exceed $200 (currently, five dollars) in other cases. Authorizes the Secretary to waive collection of duties due on merchandise that are worth less than $20, or such greater amount as prescribed by him or her.
Requires masters of vessels that have visited a hovering vessel or received merchandise while outside the U.S. territorial sea to report their arrival to the nearest customs facility.
Provides for the electronic transmission of vessel documentation to the Customs Service.
Requires the following vessels to report to the nearest Customs Service facility within 24 hours (or other period of time) as provided after arrival to a U.S. port: (1) vessels from a foreign port; (2) foreign vessels from a domestic port; (3) U.S. vessels having bonded or foreign merchandise for which entry has not been made; or (4) vessels which visited a hovering vessel or received merchandise outside the U.S. territorial sea. Authorizes the Secretary to permit masters of vessels to make preliminary entry of their vessel with the Customs Service in lieu of or before formal entry is made.
Exempts from entry and clearance requirements certain passenger vessels on excursion from the U.S. Virgin Islands to the British Virgin Islands and returning, U.S. documented vessels with recreational endorsement, or (as under current law) undocumented U.S. pleasure vessels not engaged in trade, except such vessels must comply upon arrival with specified customs reporting requirements and navigation laws and must not have visited any hovering vessel. Prohibits merchandise, passengers, or baggage from being unladen from any vessel required to make entry or vehicle required to report its arrival until such entry or report of arrival is made and a permit for unlading has been issued by the Customs Service. Authorizes the issuance of such permits through electronic data transmission.
Requires every importer of record of merchandise to make and file electronically or otherwise a declaration stating whether such merchandise is imported pursuant to a purchase or purchase agreement and that all other required documents are true and correct.
Requires persons who gained any benefit from, or met any obligation to the United States as the result of the prior exportation of merchandise that has returned as undeliverable to inform the Customs Service of the return of such merchandise within a reasonable time.
Provides for electronic data transmission of entry information to complete any incomplete entry of imported merchandise.
Declares entered or unentered merchandise that remains in customs custody for six months, with an extension at the importer's request of up to a year (currently, for merchandise that remains in custody for one year), and in which duties, taxes, fees, storage, and other charges have not been paid, to be unclaimed merchandise which shall be appraised and sold by the Customs Service at public auction. Authorizes the sale of imported gunpowder and other explosive merchandise that if permitted to remain in a bonded warehouse for six months (currently, one year) would depreciate in value to the extent that its sale would be insufficient to pay such duties, taxes, fees, storage, and other charges.
Authorizes the Customs Service, in lieu of sale, to provide notice to interested parties that, unless, within 30 days of such notice, the subject merchandise is entered or withdrawn for consumption and payment made of all duties, taxes, and fees, transfer and storage charges and other expenses that title to such merchandise shall be deemed to vest in the United States. Authorizes the Secretary to pay to a party that has lost a substantial interest in merchandise by virtue of title vesting in the United States, and can establish that it did not receive a vesting notice, an amount from the Customs Forfeiture Fund equal to what such party would have received if such merchandise had been sold and a proper claim filed. Requires any surplus of the proceeds from the sale of such merchandise to be deposited into the Fund if a claim for such surplus is not filed with the Customs Service.
Authorizes the Secretary to prescribe regulations for the declaration and entry of merchandise whose value does not exceed a certain amount, not more than $2,500 (currently not greater than $1,250), and/or when different commercial facilitation and risk considerations that may vary for different classes or kinds of merchandise or different classes of transactions may dictate.
Requires the Secretary upon seizure and forfeiture of imported merchandise bearing a counterfeit mark to dispose of such merchandise more than 90 days (currently, one year) after such forfeiture.
Authorizes withdrawal of imported merchandise from a warehouse for transfer to a foreign trade zone.
Authorizes the Customs Service to order the destruction or other appropriate disposition of vessels, vehicles, aircraft, merchandise, or baggage that has been seized under the customs laws if it determines that the expense of keeping such items is disproportionate to their value (currently applies only to items of less than $1,000 in value).
Authorizes the use of funds from the Customs Forfeiture Fund for the payment of: (1) certain transfer and storage charges and expenses; and (2) claims against Customs Service employees.
Requires actions for fraud, gross negligence, and negligence, false drawback or refund claims, and restoration of lawful duties with respect to imported merchandise to be instituted within five years after the alleged violation or discovery of such fraud.
Requires the Customs Service to be reimbursed the administrative cost and expense incurred in collecting fees on behalf of other Federal agencies.
Authorizes the Secretary to settle, for no more than $50,000 in each case, claims for personal injury, death, or damage to, or loss of, privately owned property caused by an investigative or law enforcement officer of the Customs Service.
Directs the Secretary to contract with one or more persons for collection services to recover indebtedness arising under the customs laws, provided the Customs Service has exhausted all administrative efforts to collect such indebtedness.
Subtitle D: Miscellaneous Provisions and Consequential and Conforming Amendments to Other Laws
- Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to exempt from such Schedule articles which are returned within 45 days after being exported from the United States as undeliverable and which have not left the custody of the carrier or foreign customs service. Prohibits such exportations from satisfying any requirement for exportation in order to receive a benefit from, or meet an obligation, to the United States as a result of such exportation.
Declares that certain railway locomotives and railway freight cars on which no duty is owed are not subject to the entry or release requirements for imported merchandise under the Tariff Act of 1930.
Exempts instruments of international trade, such as containers, lift vans, rail cars and locomotives, truck cabs and trailers, etc., from formal entry procedures. Requires them to be accounted for however, when imported to and exported from the United States through the manifesting procedures required for international carriers by the U.S. Customs Service.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code and other specified Federal law with respect to: (1) certain expenditures from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund; and (2) coastwise trade vessels and U.S. vessels visiting foreign ports.
Amends Federal law to grant the Court of International Trade exclusive jurisdiction of any civil action for review decisions of the Customs Service that deny, suspend, or revoke accreditation of private customs laboratories. Bars the commencement of such actions unless brought before such Court within 60 days of such decisions.
Grants the Court of International Trade exclusive jurisdiction over civil actions imposing penalties for persons who file false drawback (refund) claims.
Requires the Customs Service, with respect to actions contesting the denial of protests or the denial of petitions requesting the classification and rate of duty imposed upon designated imported merchandise, to file with the Court of International Trade, as part of the record, any information relating to the entry of such merchandise and the determination that is the subject of such protest or petition.
Requires U.S. and foreign vessels to obtain clearance from the Customs Service before proceeding from a U.S. port for: (1) a foreign port; (2) another U.S. port (for foreign vessels only), or (for U.S. vessels only) another U.S. port if the vessel has bonded or foreign merchandise for which entry has not been made; or (3) outside the U.S. territorial sea to visit a hovering vessel or to receive merchandise.
Repeals specified provisions of Federal law.
Requires the Commissioner of Customs to report to the Congress each fiscal year after FY 1992 on the collection of duties imposed under the antidumping and countervailing duty laws.
Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 to authorize the Commissioner of Customs to obtain from the operators of centralized cargo examination stations information on fees paid for the provision of services at such stations. Requires the Commissioner to report to specified congressional committees on the payment of such fees.
Amends the Customs and Trade Act of 1990 to require the Commissioner of Customs to: (1) devise a methodology for estimating the level of compliance with the U.S. customs laws; and (2) evaluate the extent to which such compliance was obtained during the 12-month period preceding the 60th day before each fiscal year 1993 through 1995. Directs the Commissioner to initiate, and submit to the Congress, a compliance review of certain carrier services.
Title III: Customs and Trade Agency Authorizations for Fiscal Years 1993 and 1994
- Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to authorize appropriations to the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) for FY 1993 and 1994. Earmarks a specified amount for reception and entertainment expenses. Prohibits use of such funds for any special study, investigation, or report requested by an agency of the executive branch unless such agency reimburses the ITC for its costs.
Amends the Customs Procedural Reform and Simplification Act of 1978 to authorize appropriations to the United States Customs Service for FY 1993 and 1994 for: (1) noncommercial operations; (2) commercial operations; and (3) the air interdiction program.
Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to authorize appropriations to the office of the United States Trade Representative for FY 1993 and 1994.
Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to authorize appropriations for FY 1993 and 1994 for certain expenditures from the Customs Forfeiture Fund relating to purchases by the Customs Service of evidence of smuggling of controlled substances.
Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to eliminate the East-West Trade Statistics Monitoring System.
Amends the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 to revise the formula for certain reimbursements and payments to be made to the Customs Service with respect to the processing of merchandise informally entered or released at a centralized hub facility.
Repeals specified provisions regarding the work shifts of customs personnel at airports.
Title IV: Other Trade Provisions - Subtitle A: Nontariff Provisions - Chapter 1: Miscellaneous Nontariff Provisions
- Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to require the ITC, upon the filing of a petition, request of the President or the USTR, resolution of specified congressional committees, or its own motion, to investigate whether market disruption exists in a domestic industry with respect to imports of products from a country with a state-controlled economy. Authorizes the President, with respect to an affirmative determination of market disruption, to alter the form of relief recommended by the ITC if such alternative relief is equivalent to the one recommended. Requires the President to provide such relief unless it would seriously impair U.S. national security.
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to implement a program requiring that end-use certificates be included in the documentation covering the entry into, or the withdrawal from warehouse for consumption in, the customs territory of the United of any wheat or barley that is a product of a foreign country that requires end-use certificates for imports of U.S. wheat or barley.
Directs the President to: (1) negotiate trade agreements that eliminate the adverse effects of anticompetitive practices on international trade; and (2) report to the Congress on the status of such negotiations.
Amends the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 to require the Secretary, at the request of the Secretary of Commerce (current law authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to request the Secretary of the Treasury): (1) to take necessary action to ensure the attainment of the objectives of the machine tool decision of the President on May 20, 1986, and on December 27, 1991; and (2) to enforce any imported machine tool quantitative limitations, restrictions, or other terms contained in related bilateral arrangements.
Requires the Secretary to enforce the quantitative limitations and other provisions of bilateral arrangements negotiated with Taiwan on December 31, 1991, pursuant to the President's machine tool decision of May 20, 1986, until bilateral agreements are negotiated with such countries pursuant to the President's December 27, 1991, decision. Expresses the sense of the Congress that any bilateral agreement negotiated with Taiwan pursuant to the President's December 27, 1991, decision be effective for two years from the date it is signed.
Directs the ITC to report to the Congress proposals for consolidating and simplifying U.S. international trade laws.
Requires the Director of the Congressional Research Service to make recommendations to the Congress about establishment of a special unit that would: (1) integrate the resources of the service the ITC, and other appropriate agencies; and (2) serve as a central and objective source of information for the Congress on data and trends in trade between the United States and foreign countries.
Expresses the sense of the Congress that boycotts imposed by foreign countries against countries friendly to the United States or against any U.S. person are discriminatory barriers to international trade. Commends the USTR for including the Arab boycott in the 1992 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Barriers, but urges expansion of such report to: (1) include country-by-country analysis on the extent to which each government permits companies in its country to comply with the secondary Arab boycott of U.S. companies; (2) identify the activities of specific governments to enforce the boycott; and (3) discuss the differences in how countries blacklist companies and enforce the boycott.
Chapter 2: Import Sanctions to Control Nuclear Proliferation
- Omnibus Nuclear Proliferation Control Act of 1992 - Requires the President to impose sanctions upon any foreign person that has materially and with requisite knowledge contributed, through the exports of goods or technology, to the efforts by any individual, group, or non-nuclear weapon state to acquire unsafeguarded special nuclear material or to use, develop, stockpile, or acquire any nuclear explosive device. Prohibits the importation into the United States of products produced by such foreign person or any parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or successor entity. Sets forth specified exceptions.
Urges the President to initiate consultations with foreign governments with jurisdiction over such foreign persons with respect to the imposition of the sanctions. Requires the President to impose such sanctions unless he certifies to the Congress that a government has taken actions to terminate the involvement of a person in such activities.
Applies sanctions for at least 12 months and terminates sanctions only if the President certifies to the Congress that a person has ceased to, and will not in the future, aid individuals or non-nuclear weapon states in efforts to acquire unsafeguarded special nuclear material or nuclear explosive devices.
Permits the President to waive sanctions after the 12-month period if he certifies to the Congress that the continued imposition of sanctions would have a serious adverse effect on U.S. interests.
Subtitle B: Foreign Subsidies and Countervailing and Antidumping Duty Amendments
- Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to require completion of reviews by the administering authority of the amount of duty with respect to countervailing and antidumping duty orders by the 270th day after the day on which a request for review was received. (Currently, there is no such deadline for completion of such a review.)
Requires the ITC to consider contracts with long lead time as a factor when making material injury determinations with respect to an affected domestic industry in countervailing and antidumping duty investigations. Declares that the presence or absence of any factor the ITC is required to consider shall not give decisive guidance with respect to any threat of material injury determinations.
Provides that, with respect to the determination of foreign market value of imported merchandise under investigation, no allowance shall be made to account for differences in input costs that are based on whether the end product made from the input is sold in the home market or exported.
Requires the United States Customs Service to report annually to the administering authority on the amount of duties collected during each year under each countervailing and antidumping duty order. Requires the administering authority to make such data available to interested parties.
Requires the administering authority, when determining whether imported parts or components are circumventing an antidumping or countervailing duty order or finding, and whether to include such parts or components in such order or finding, to consider: (1) the pattern of trade; (2) the value and sources of supply of parts or components historically used in completion or assembly of the merchandise subject to such order; (3) whether the manufacturer or exporter of such parts or components is related to the person who assembles or completes the merchandise sold in the United States from the parts or components produced in the foreign country with respect to which the order or finding applies; and (4) whether imports into the United States of the parts or components produced in such foreign country have increased after the issuance of such order or finding.
Authorizes the administering authority to include within the scope of such order or finding imported parts or components that are used in the completion or assembly of certain merchandise sold in the United States and subject to such order or finding, provided: (1) such merchandise is completed or assembled in the United States from parts or components supplied by the exporter or producer with respect to which such order or finding applies, from suppliers that have historically supplied the parts or components to that exporter or producer, or from any party in the exporting country supplying parts or components on behalf of such exporter or producer; (2) the value of such imported parts and components is significant in relation to the total value of all parts and components used in the assembly or completion operation, excluding packing, of the imported merchandise covered by such order or finding; or (3) consideration of specified factors establishes a pattern of circumvention of a countervailing and antidumping duty order or finding. Enables the administering authority to base such a decision on any of such factors by itself, rather than on all of them together. Sets forth similar provisions for merchandise completed or assembled in other foreign countries.
Directs the Secretary of Commerce and the ITC to study and report to the Congress on modification of standards applicable to the initiation of countervailing and antidumping duty actions in order to make petitioning for such initiations less costly and more accessible for domestic petitioners.
Requires the USTR to report to the Congress on the operation of the Agreement Concerning the Application of the GATT Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft between the United States and the European Community.
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should not enter into any international trade agreement on antidumping requiring changes in U.S. antidumping laws that would reduce the effectiveness of such laws as a remedy against injurious dumped imports. Urges the President to review antidumping provisions contained in the Draft Final Act Embodying the Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations dated December 21, 1991 and seek changes to strengthen the effectiveness of U.S. antidumping laws, including, but not limited to, changes in provisions dealing with cumulation of injury and dispute settlement.
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the U.S. Government should not condone the use by foreign governments of trade distorting subsidies, including development subsidies, that cause material injury to U.S. industries.
Requires the administering authority in antidumping proceedings involving merchandise from a nonmarket economy country to determine, if certain conditions exist, the foreign market value of such merchandise on the basis of the value of all factors of production in such country, if such information is available.
Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to revise factors used by the ITC for purposes of material injury determinations in antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.
Requires the ITC, in determining whether a U.S. industry is threatened with material injury from imports, to consider, among other factors, the: (1) actual and potential decline in order backlog of the domestic industry; and (2) monthly and quarterly trend information through the month of the filing of the antidumping duty petition.
Amends the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (OTCA), with respect to principal trade negotiating objectives, to declare that dispute settlement mechanisms and procedures, with respect to review of countervailing duty and antidumping duty actions taken by a signatory to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, shall not allow review of certain issues in certain procedural circumstances.
Applies certain OTCA provisions only to antidumping and countervailing duty reviews initiated with respect to merchandise which: (1) is the product of a party-country to a free trade agreement entered into force and effect before January 1, 1987; and (2) was the subject of an investigation initiated on or after enactment of the United States - Israel Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act.
Subtitle C: Other Tariff Provisions
- Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to remove the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from the list of countries ineligible for designation as a beneficiary developing country under the Generalized System of Preferences.
Prohibits the President from designating as an article eligible for duty-free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences any import-sensitive agricultural article which will render ineffective, or materially interfere with, a loan or purchase program, or other industry-wide operation, of the Department of Agriculture. Requires the President to prescribe procedures under which articles may be granted eligible article status, including procedures under which interested persons may petition that articles be granted such status.
Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States provisions implementing Annex D of the Nairobi Protocol to the Florence Agreement to grant duty-free treatment of scientific instruments and apparatus that are entered for use by any nonprofit educational or scientific institution or any governmental entity. Requires such an institution desiring to enter such an article for duty-free treatment to apply to the Secretary of Commerce (currently, the Secretary of the Treasury).
Provides that an instrument or apparatus eligible for such treatment shall not be disqualified on the basis of its commercial use if specified conditions are met. Declares that the applicant institution shall have the burden of proving such eligibility.
Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to create a new tariff classification to cover imports of motor fuel blending stocks. Imposes a duty on such stocks.
Revises the classification of linear alkylbenzenesulfonates and linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acids.
Revises a specified subheading relating to nonalloy iron and steel pipes and tubes to include non-galvanized forms of such products. Increases the duty on certain other iron and steel pipes and tubes.
Imposes a duty on galvanized nonalloy iron and steel pipes and tubes having a specified thickness.
Increases the duty on certain stainless steel pipes and tubes.
Authorizes the USTR to negotiate compensation for claims made pursuant to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, or any other trade agreement to which the United States is a party, as a result of the amendments made by this Act.
Requires the Secretary, with respect to producers of watches in the insular possessions of the United States who are wage certificate holders, to pay to such a holder, at the holder's election, the face value of such certificates less the value of: (1) any duty refunds claimed by the holder under the certificate; and (2) any duty refunds under such certificate that are sold by such holder.
Grants duty-free treatment of articles (not over $600 in value) acquired in Bermuda.
Grants duty-free treatment to sweaters in which the number of U.S. citizens, nationals, or resident aliens who perform the assembly operations (in Guam) comprise at least 50 percent of the total number of assembly production workers. Sets forth specified exceptions.
Provides that stuffed dolls and doll skins that are imported into the United States on or after December 31, 1985, and before October 1, 1988, shall be liquidated as duty free as of October 1, 1988.
Declares that a specified production incentive certificate shall be deemed to have been reissued on the 15th day after the enactment of this Act, and shall expire one year after such day.
Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to exempt semiconductors from the country of origin marking requirements under such Act.
Amends the Foreign Trade Zones Act to extend until December 31, 1994, the exclusion of bicycle component parts from the exemption from customs laws provided by such Act.
Treats certain entries of fabric wholly of polyamide as having been exported from the United States in accordance with and in satisfaction of the temporary importation bond and obligations of The Umbrellas: Joint Project for Japan and U.S.A. Corporation if specified conditions are met.
Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to authorize the extension of time (not to exceed five years) for the exportation of articles to be repaired, altered, or processed, including processes which result in articles manufactured or produced in the United States, that are imported duty-free under bond, provided that any extension beyond the third year must be accompanied by the importer's certification that such articles are to be incorporated into a communications satellite.
Subjects to liquidated damages any such articles imported after January 1, 1983, and before the effective date of this Act, that are certified by the importer as having been dedicated for incorporation into a communications satellite, and as not having been exported within the time required because of launch schedule delays. Limits such liquidated damages to a maximum one percent of the liquidated damages established under the bond.
Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to grant duty-free treatment, through October 4, 1996, to the personal effects of, and other articles sought by, participants, their families and associated members, and officials involved in the XXVI Summer Olympiad and associated Cultural Olympiad in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sets forth the cost estimate for this Act for purposes of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act).
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Bill titles: To strengthen the international trade position of the United States.
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