The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“DUTY SUSPENSIONS FOR IMPORTED PRODUCTS” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Senate section on pages S11519-S11520 on Nov. 19, 2004.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
DUTY SUSPENSIONS FOR IMPORTED PRODUCTS
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.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Who yields time? The Senator from Montana.
Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I yield back the remainder of my time and ask unanimous consent that all time be yielded back.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Cloture Motion
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, pursuant to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the Senate the pending cloture motion, which the clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
Cloture Motion
We the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the conference report to accompany H.R. 1047, a bill to amend the harmonized tariff schedule of the United States to modify temporarily certain rates of duty, to make other technical amendments to the trade laws, and for other purposes.
Bill Frist, Chuck Grassley, George Allen, Craig Thomas,
Jon Kyl, Mike Crapo, Robert F. Bennett, John Ensign,
Pete Domenici, Lamar Alexander, John E. Sununu, Richard
G. Lugar, George Voinovich, Peter Fitzgerald, Trent
Lott, Lindsey Graham, Jim Talent.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. By unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived.
The question is, Is it the sense of the Senate that debate on the conference report to accompany H.R. 1047, a bill to amend the harmonized tariff schedule of the United States to modify temporarily certain rates of duty, to make other technical amendments to the trade laws, and for other purposes, shall be brought to a close?
The yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. McCONNELL. The following Senators were necessarily absent. The Senator from Wyoming (Mr. Enzi), the Senator from Texas (Mrs. Hutchison), and the Senator from Indiana (Mr. Lugar).
Mr. REID. I announce that the Senator from New York (Mrs. Clinton), the Senator from Florida (Mr. Graham), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Jeffords), and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Leahy) are necessarily absent.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Chafee). Are there any other Senators in the Chamber desiring to vote?
The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 88, nays 5, as follows:
YEAS--88
AkakaAlexanderAllardAllenBaucusBayhBennettBidenBingamanBondBoxerBreauxBrownbackBunningBurnsCampbellCantwellCarperChafeeChamblissCochranCollinsConradCornynCorzineCraigCrapoDaschleDeWineDoddDoleDomeniciDorganDurbinEdwardsEnsignFeinsteinFitzgeraldFristGraham (SC)GrassleyGreggHagelHarkinHatchHollingsInhofeInouyeJohnsonKennedyKerryKylLandrieuLautenbergLevinLiebermanLincolnLottMcCainMcConnellMikulskiMillerMurkowskiMurrayNelson (FL)Nelson (NE)NicklesPryorReedReidRobertsRockefellerSantorumSarbanesSchumerSessionsShelbySmithSnoweSpecterStabenowStevensSununuTalentThomasVoinovichWarnerWyden
NAYS--5
ByrdColemanDaytonFeingoldKohl
NOT VOTING--7
ClintonEnziGraham (FL)HutchisonJeffordsLeahyLugar
The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote the ayes are 88, the nays are 5. Three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn having voted in the affirmative, the motion is agreed to.
Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for Resolution No. 474 to be brought up for its immediate consideration, and I will allocate time.
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the Senator from Louisiana yield?
Ms. LANDRIEU. I am happy to cooperate. I thought we had worked this out. Perhaps we have not. I understand we are calling up a resolution for its immediate consideration and I will stay in the business that we are in.
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I will suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? The clerk will call the roll.
Mr. CRAIG. Reserving the right to object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Idaho.
Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I will not object to a quorum call if it is only temporary, and I mean very temporary, so we can work out our differences. This is a very important resolution that deserves to come before the Senate. Tomorrow is National Adoption Day and the Senator from Louisiana and I find this an important priority for all Senators. With that, I will not object, understanding that Senator Feingold offers this only temporarily.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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