Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 1594 - An Act to Make Miscellaneous and Technical Changes to Various Trade Laws

(Senate)
(Gibbons (D) Florida and two others)

The Administration supports Senate passage of H.R. 1594, as reported by the Senate Finance Committee, but will seek changes to the bill during its further consideration by Congress. Specifically, the Administration will seek to:

—  Amend the Customs user fee provisions to: (1) apply the $3 surcharge to all entries processed manually; (2) provide merchandise processing fee exemptions only to free-trade areas; (3) permit the use of the passenger/conveyance fees to cover only certain costs; (4) require that all customs user fees be available to the extent provided in advance in appropriations acts; and (5) restore the provision restricting consolidation of merchandise entries.

—  Conform the authorization levels, for the U.S. Trade Representative and the Customs Service, to those requested in the President's Fiscal Year 1991 Budget.

—  Delete several miscellaneous tariff provisions relating to (1)  tobacco, which would provide a retroactive windfall to U.S. importers; (2) refunds for crude petroleum or petroleum derivatives, which would authorize retroactive payment of such refunds and make other changes that would increase the likelihood of fraudulent and unverifiable claims; and (3)  reliquidation of certain entries and refund of antidumping duties, which would undermine the antidumping laws.

—  Delete the prohibition on imports of certain Burmese articles because the use of trade policy is an inappropriate instrument for dealing with human rights concerns.

In addition, the Administration may seek other changes to the miscellaneous tariff suspension provisions based on a further review of the effect of these duty suspensions.