[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 4, 1996)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 46697-46698]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-22756]
[[Page 46695]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part III
The President
_______________________________________________________________________
Memorandum of August 30, 1996--Determinations Under Section 203 of the
Trade Act of 1974 and Section 304 of the North American Free Trade
Agreement Implementation Act Concerning Broom Corn Brooms
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 172 / Wednesday, September 4, 1996 /
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 46697]]
Memorandum of August 30, 1996
Determinations Under Section 203 of the Trade Act
of 1974 and Section 304 of the North American Free
Trade Agreement Implementation Act Concerning Broom
Corn Brooms
Memorandum for the United States Trade Representative,
the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of
Commerce, [and] the Secretary of Labor
On August 1, 1996, the United States International
Trade Commission (USITC) submitted to me a report that
included:
(a) a determination pursuant to section 202 of the
Trade Act of 1974 (``the Trade Act'') that imports of
broom corn brooms are being imported into the United
States in such increased quantities as to be a
substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic
industry producing an article like or directly
competitive with the imported article;
(b) a finding pursuant to section 311(a) of the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Implementation Act (``NAFTA Act'') that imports of
broom corn brooms produced in Mexico account for a
substantial share of total imports of such brooms and
contribute importantly to the serious injury caused by
imports; but that imports of broom corn brooms produced
in Canada do not account for a substantial share of
total imports and thus do not contribute importantly to
the serious injury caused by imports;
(c) a determination under section 302 of the NAFTA
Act that, as a result of the reduction or elimination
or a duty provided for under the NAFTA, broom corn
brooms produced in Mexico are being imported into the
United States in such increased quantities (in absolute
terms) and under such conditions so that imports of the
article, alone, constitute a substantial cause of
serious injury to the domestic industry producing an
article that is like, or directly competitive with, the
imported article; and
(d) recommendations for action by the President in
response to these determinations.
Pursuant to section 203(a) of the Trade Act, I have
determined to take appropriate and feasible action
within my power that will facilitate efforts by the
domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to
competition from imports of broom corn brooms. I have
not implemented at this time any of the actions
recommended by the USITC, because I believe it would be
more appropriate first to seek a negotiated solution
with appropriate foreign countries that would address
the serious injury to our domestic broom corn broom
industry, promote positive adjustment, and strike a
balance among the various interests involved.
Therefore, after considering all relevant aspects of
the investigation, including the factors set forth in
section 203(a)(2) of the Trade Act, I hereby direct the
Trade Representative to negotiate and conclude, within
90 days, agreements of a type described in section
203(a)(3)(E) of the Trade Act, and to carry out any
agreements reached. Not later than the end of this 90-
day period, I would implement action of a type
described in section 203(a)(3). I hereby direct the
Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, and Labor to
develop and present to me, within 90 days, a program of
measures designed to enable our domestic industry
producing broom corn brooms to adjust to import
competition.
[[Page 46698]]
I agree with the USITC's finding under section 311(a)
of the NAFTA Act, and therefore determine, pursuant to
section 312(a) of the Act, that imports of broom corn
brooms from Mexico account for a substantial share of
total imports of such brooms and contribute importantly
to the serious injury caused by imports; but that
imports of broom corn brooms from Canada do not account
for a substantial share of total imports and thus do
not contribute importantly to the serious injury caused
by imports. Therefore, pursuant to section 312(b) of
the NAFTA Act, agreements reached, and action of a type
described in section 203(a)(3) of the Trade Act, would
apply to imports of broom corn brooms from Mexico, but
would not apply to imports of broom corn brooms from
Canada. Also, in light of the USITC's findings, any
agreements and action would not apply to imports of
broom corn brooms from Israel.
As a result of the action I have taken under section
203 of the Trade Act, I have fully preserved my ability
to implement tariff increases of a magnitude equal to
or greater than the increases recommended by USITC
commissioners under section 303 of the NAFTA Act.
Section 203 of the Trade Act also authorizes a wider
array of types of action than the tariff increases
permitted under the NAFTA Act. Thus, through section
203 of the Trade Act, I maintain the full power to
address the serious injury found by the USITC to have
resulted from the reduction in tariffs under the NAFTA.
For these reasons, I have determined that additional
action under section 304 of the NAFTA Act is not
necessary and would not provide greater benefits than
costs.
The United States Trade Representative is authorized
and directed to publish this determination in the
Federal Register.
(Presidential Sig.)
THE WHITE HOUSE,
Washington, August 30, 1996.
[FR Doc. 96-22756
Filed 9-3-96; 10:24 a.m.]
Billing code 3190-01-M