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Bush Signs Law on Miscellaneous Tariffs, Armenia Trade Relations
U.S.State Department
07 December 2004
Measure repeals 1916 U.S. dumping law rejected by WTO
Washington -- President Bush has signed into law a broad trade
package that suspends tariffs on hundreds of products not produced
domestically, extends permanent normal trade relations to Armenia,
and repeals a 1916 dumping law ruled illegal by the World Trade
Organization (WTO). It also extends normal trade relations to Laos.
Although largely uncontroversial, the trade package stalled repeatedly
in Congress over three years due to a series of disagreements. The
measure was approved by the House of Representatives on October 8,
by the Senate November 19, and signed into law by the president
December 3.
The package aims to resolve a U.S. dispute with its trading partners
by repealing the 1916 Anti-Dumping Act, under which U.S. companies
could retaliate in court against importers of goods dumped on
the U.S. market. The policy has been ruled illegal by the WTO. The
provision in the bill does not overturn any cases already decided or
pending under the law.
Another section of the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections
Act of 2004 allows the president to waive import duties on hand-knotted
and hand-woven carpet. The provision is primarily aimed at helping
Pakistan and Afghanistan, two countries that have joined the United
States "in the fight against global terrorism," Senate Finance
Committee Chairman Charles Grassley said in a floor statement before
the Senate vote.
The measure also strengthens the president's authority to bar imports
of looted Iraqi antiquities.
One of the controversies that stalled the bill was the extension of
normal trade relations to Laos, which will dramatically reduce the
average U.S. tariff on Laotian products.
Russ Feingold and Herbert Kohl, Democratic senators from Wisconsin,
objected to the provision on the basis of human rights violations
against the Hmong population in Laos. Wisconsin is home to a large
number of Hmong refugees. The two senators agreed to drop their
opposition to the bill after persuading their colleagues to adopt a
resolution calling on Laos to improve its human rights record.
In the case of Armenia, that country has had normal trade relations
with the United States on an annual renewable basis. Armenia's recent
entry into the WTO required Washington to make the status permanent.
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
U.S.State Department
07 December 2004
Measure repeals 1916 U.S. dumping law rejected by WTO
Washington -- President Bush has signed into law a broad trade
package that suspends tariffs on hundreds of products not produced
domestically, extends permanent normal trade relations to Armenia,
and repeals a 1916 dumping law ruled illegal by the World Trade
Organization (WTO). It also extends normal trade relations to Laos.
Although largely uncontroversial, the trade package stalled repeatedly
in Congress over three years due to a series of disagreements. The
measure was approved by the House of Representatives on October 8,
by the Senate November 19, and signed into law by the president
December 3.
The package aims to resolve a U.S. dispute with its trading partners
by repealing the 1916 Anti-Dumping Act, under which U.S. companies
could retaliate in court against importers of goods dumped on
the U.S. market. The policy has been ruled illegal by the WTO. The
provision in the bill does not overturn any cases already decided or
pending under the law.
Another section of the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections
Act of 2004 allows the president to waive import duties on hand-knotted
and hand-woven carpet. The provision is primarily aimed at helping
Pakistan and Afghanistan, two countries that have joined the United
States "in the fight against global terrorism," Senate Finance
Committee Chairman Charles Grassley said in a floor statement before
the Senate vote.
The measure also strengthens the president's authority to bar imports
of looted Iraqi antiquities.
One of the controversies that stalled the bill was the extension of
normal trade relations to Laos, which will dramatically reduce the
average U.S. tariff on Laotian products.
Russ Feingold and Herbert Kohl, Democratic senators from Wisconsin,
objected to the provision on the basis of human rights violations
against the Hmong population in Laos. Wisconsin is home to a large
number of Hmong refugees. The two senators agreed to drop their
opposition to the bill after persuading their colleagues to adopt a
resolution calling on Laos to improve its human rights record.
In the case of Armenia, that country has had normal trade relations
with the United States on an annual renewable basis. Armenia's recent
entry into the WTO required Washington to make the status permanent.
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress