Statement by the President on Issuing Proclamation and Executive Order Relating to the U.S.-Canadian Agreement on Automotive Products

I am issuing a proclamation exercising the authority given me by the act to remove United States duties on automotive products covered by our agreement with Canada. The provisions of the proclamation relating to duties will become effective after 60 days. The removal of United States duties will then be retroactive to January 18, 1965, the date Canada removed its duties on United States automotive products.

H.R. 9042 also enacts special provisions for determining eligibility for the adjustment assistance already provided by the Trade Expansion Act, if there should be instances in which firms or workers suffer dislocation as a result of the agreement. These new eligibility provisions assure that there will be prompt assistance to individual firms or workers who may be temporarily affected by this trade agreement benefiting the Nation as a whole. To administer these new provisions, I am establishing a board consisting of the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Labor, and delegating to it the functions concerning adjustment assistance conferred upon me by the act.