17 May 2000
House Ways and Means Committee Amends, Passes China PNTR Bill
(Clinton Administration wins 34-4 vote on amended bill) (490) By Steve La Rocque Washington File Staff Writer Washington -- The House Ways and Means Committee approved legislation May 17 that would grant China Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status. By 34 to 4, the committee passed a 25-page amendment to the original H.R. 4444. Offered by Representative Bill Archer (Republican of Texas), the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, the "Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 4444" now goes on to the full House where a vote on the measure is planned for next week. Archer, an advocate of permanent NTR status for China, had introduced H.R. 4444 into the House of Representatives two days earlier. The Amendment still has the United States President determining that China should no longer be subject to Chapter 1 of Title IV of the Trade Act of 1974, and proclaiming "the extension of non-discriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to the products of that country." It would also amend the Trade Act of 1974 to provide relief from market disruption caused by Chinese imports into the United States. "If a product of the People's Republic of China is being imported into the United States in such increased quantities or under such conditions as to cause or threaten to cause market disruption to the domestic producers of a like or directly competitive product, the President shall," the Amendment says, "proclaim increased duties or other import restrictions with respect to such product, to the extent and for such period as the President considers necessary to prevent or remedy the market disruption." The legislation would have the U.S. International Trade Commission "promptly make an investigation to determine whether products of the People's Republic of China are being imported into the United States in such increased quantities or under such conditions as to cause or threaten to cause market disruption to the domestic producers of like or directly competitive products." The U.S. Trade Representative, according to the Amendment, would be authorized to "enter into agreements for the People's Republic of China to take such action as necessary to prevent or remedy market disruption, and should seek to conclude such agreements before the expiration of the 60-day consultation period provided for under the product-specific safeguard provision of the Protocol of Accession of the People's Republic of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO)." Import relief, according to the Amendment, should "take effect not later than 15 days after the President's determination to provide such relief." The Amendment also calls for the U.S. Customs Service to monitor any product from China which is the subject of a "consultation" between China and any other member of the WTO. (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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