HCON 507 IH

Urging the President to request the United States International Trade Commission to conduct an expedited review of the temporary safeguards on imports of certain steel products.

OCTOBER 9, 2002

Mr. KNOLLENBERG (for himself, Mr. CAMP, Mr. CRANE, Mr. DOOLEY of California, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. PENCE, and Mr. ROGERS of Michigan) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

Urging the President to request the United States International Trade Commission to conduct an expedited review of the temporary safeguards on imports of certain steel products.

Whereas the President, upon investigation and recommendation by the United States International Trade Commission, on March 5, 2002, proclaimed temporary tariff increases and tariff rate quotas on certain steel imports;

Whereas many United States manufacturing sectors have reported that the temporary tariff increases and tariff-rate quotas have disrupted the availability of input steel;

Whereas both a strong domestic steel industry and a strong domestic manufacturing base are vital to our national defense and economic security;

Whereas neither the President nor the United States International Trade Commission could fully anticipate the positive or negative effects of the temporary safeguards proclaimed on March 5, 2002; and

Whereas section 204 of the Trade Act of 1974 requires that the United States International Trade Commission `shall monitor developments with respect to the domestic industry, including the progress and specific efforts made by workers and firms in the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition' and submit a report on this monitoring to the President and the Congress not later than September 20, 2003: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the Congress--

(1) recognizes that a strong domestic steel industry and strong domestic manufacturing base are vital to national defense and economic security;

(2) urges the President to request the United States International Trade Commission to expedite its review of the temporary safeguards imposed on March 5, 2002, on certain steel imports and, not later than March 20, 2003, to report its findings to the President and the Congress pursuant to the review; and

(3) urges the President to request the United States International Trade Commission, in addition to monitoring and reporting on the items enumerated in section 204 of the Trade Act of 1974, also to monitor and report on the impact of the temporary safeguards on domestic steel consumers and relations with United States trading partners.

END