(d) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—Section 13031 of the
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985
(19 U.S.C. 58c) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(k) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—The Commissioner of
Customs shall establish an advisory committee whose
membership shall consist of representatives from the air-
line, cruise ship, and other transportation industries who
may be subject to fees under subsection (a). The advisory
committee shall not be subject to termination under sec-
tion 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The advi-
sory committee shall meet on a periodic basis and shall
advise the Commissioner on issues related to the perform-
ance of the inspectional services of the United States Cus-
toms Service. Such advice shall include, but not be limited
to, such issues as the time periods during which such serv-
ices should be performed, the proper number and deploy-
ment of inspection officers, the level of fees, and the ap-
propriateness of any proposed fee. The Commissioner shall
give consideration to the views of the advisory committee
in the exercise of his or her duties.’’.
(e) NATIONAL CUSTOMS AUTOMATION TEST RE-
GARDING RECONCILIATION.—Section 505(c) of the Tariff
Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1505(c)) is amended by adding
at the end the following: ‘‘For the period beginning on
October 1, 1998, and ending on the date on which the
‘Revised National Customs Automation Test Regarding
Reconciliation’ of the Customs Service is terminated, or
October 1, 2000, whichever occurs earlier, the Secretary
may prescribe an alternative mid-point interest accounting
methodology, which may be employed by the importer,
based upon aggregate data in lieu of accounting for such
interest from each deposit data provided in this sub-
section.’’.
(f) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall take effect 30 days after the date of en-
actment of this Act.
SEC. 2419. DUTY DRAWBACK FOR METHYL TERTIARY-
BUTYL ETHER (‘‘MTBE’’).
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 313(p)(3)(A)(i)(I) of the
Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1313(p)(3)(A)(i)(I)) is
amended by striking ‘‘and 2902’’ and inserting ‘‘2902,
and 2909.19.14’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by
this section shall take effect on the date of enactment of
this Act, and shall apply to drawback claims filed on and
after such date.
SEC. 2420. SUBSTITUTION OF FINISHED PETROLEUM DE-
RIVATIVES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 313(p)(1) of the Tariff
Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1313(p)(1)) is amended in the
matter following subparagraph (C) by striking ‘‘the
amount of the duties paid on, or attributable to, such
qualified article shall be refunded as drawback to the
drawback claimant.’’ and inserting ‘‘drawback shall be al-
lowed as described in paragraph (4).’’.
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—Section 313(p)(2) of such Act
(19 U.S.C. 1313(p)(2)) is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (A)—
(A) in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii), by striking
‘‘the qualified article’’ each place it appears and
inserting ‘‘a qualified article’’; and
(B) in clause (iv), by striking ‘‘an im-
ported’ and inserting ‘‘a’’; and
(2) in subparagraph (G), by inserting ‘‘trans-
feror,’’ after ‘‘importer,’’.
(c) QUALIFIED ARTICLE DEFINED, ETC.—Section
313(p)(3) of such Act (19 U.S.C. 1313(p)(3)) is
amended—
(1) in subparagraph (A)—
(A) in clause (i)(II), by striking ‘‘liquids,
pastes, powders, granules, and flakes’’ and in-
serting ‘‘the primary forms provided under
Note 6 to chapter 39 of the Harmonized Tariff
Schedule of the United States’’; and
(B) in clause (ii)—
(i) in subclause (I) by striking ‘‘or’’ at
the end;
(ii) in subclause (II) by striking the
period and inserting ‘‘, or’’; and
(iii) by adding after subclause (II) the
following:
‘‘(III) an article of the same kind
and quality as described in subpara-
graph (B), or any combination there-
of, that is transferred, as so certified
in a certificate of delivery or certifi-
cate of manufacture and delivery in a
quantity not greater than the quantity
of articles purchased or exchanged.
The transferred merchandise described in
subclause (III), regardless of its origin, so
designated on the certificate of delivery or
certificate of manufacture and delivery
shall be the qualified article for purposes
of this section. A party who issues a cer-
tificate of delivery, or certificate of manu-
facture and delivery, shall also certify to
the Commissioner of Customs that it has
not, and will not, issue such certificates for
a quantity greater than the amount eligible
for drawback and that appropriate records
will be maintained to demonstrate that
fact.’’;
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘exported
article’’ and inserting ‘‘article, including an im-
ported, manufactured, substituted, or exported arti-
cle,’’; and
(3) in the first sentence of subparagraph (C),
by striking ‘‘such article.’’ and inserting ‘‘either the
qualified article or the exported article.’’.
(d) 
LIMITATION
ON
DRAWBACK.—Section
313(p)(4)(B) of such Act (19 U.S.C. 1313(p)(4)(B)) is
amended by inserting before the period at the end the fol-
lowing: ‘‘had the claim qualified for drawback under sub-
section (j)’’.
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall take effect as if included in the amend-
ment made by section 632(a)(6) of the North American
Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act. For purposes
of section 632(b) of that Act, the 3-year requirement set
forth in section 313(r) of the Tariff Act of 1930 shall not
apply to any drawback claim filed within 6 months after
the date of enactment of this Act for which that 3-year
period would have expired.
SEC. 2421. DUTY ON CERTAIN IMPORTATIONS OF MUESLIX
CEREALS.
(a) BEFORE JANUARY 1, 1996.—Notwithstanding
section 514 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1514)
or any other provision of law, upon proper request filed
with the Customs Service before the 90th day after the
date of the enactment of this Act, any entry or withdrawal
from warehouse for consumption made after December 31,
1991, and before January 1, 1996, of mueslix cereal,
which was classified in subheading 2008.92.10 of the Har-
monized Tariff Schedule of the United States and to which
the column 1 special rate of duty applicable for goods of
Canada applied—
(1) shall be liquidated or reliquidated as if the
column one special rate of duty applicable for goods
of Canada in subheading 1904.10.00 of such Sched-
ule applied to such mueslix cereal at the time of
such entry or withdrawal; and
(2) any excess duties paid as a result of such
liquidation or reliquidation shall be refunded, includ-
ing interest at the appropriate applicable rate.
(b) AFTER DECEMBER 31, 1995.—Notwithstanding
section 514 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1514)
or any other provision of law, upon proper request filed
with the Customs Service before the 90th day after the
date of the enactment of this Act, any entry or withdrawal
from warehouse for consumption made after December 31,
1995, and before January 1, 1998, of mueslix cereal,
which was classified in subheading 1904.20.10 of the Har-
monized Tariff Schedule of the United States and to which
the column 1 special rate of duty applicable for goods of
special column rate applicable for Canada applied—
(1) shall be liquidated or reliquidated as if the
column 1 special rate of duty applicable for goods of
Canada in subheading 1904.10.00 of such Schedule
applied to such mueslix cereal at the time of such
entry or withdrawal; and
(2) any excess duties paid as a result of such
liquidation or reliquidation shall be refunded, includ-
ing interest at the appropriate applicable rate.
SEC. 2422. EXPANSION OF FOREIGN TRADE ZONE NO. 143.
(a) EXPANSION OF FOREIGN TRADE ZONE.—The
Foreign Trade Zones Board shall expand Foreign Trade
Zone No. 143 to include areas in the vicinity of the Chico
Municipal Airport in accordance with the application sub-
mitted by the Sacramento-Yolo Port District of Sac-
ramento, California, to the Board on March 11, 1997.
(b) OTHER REQUIREMENTS NOT AFFECTED.—The
expansion of Foreign Trade Zone No. 143 under sub-
section (a) shall not relieve the Port of Sacramento of any
requirement under the Foreign Trade Zones Act, or under
regulations of the Foreign Trade Zones Board, relating
to such expansion.
SEC. 2423. MARKING OF CERTAIN SILK PRODUCTS AND
CONTAINERS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 304 of the Tariff Act of
1930 (19 U.S.C. 1304) is amended—
(1) by redesignating subsections (h), (i), (j),
and (k) as subsections (i), (j), (k), and (l), respec-
tively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (g) the follow-
ing new subsection:
‘‘(h) MARKING OF CERTAIN SILK PRODUCTS.—The
marking requirements of subsections (a) and (b) shall not
apply either to—
‘‘(1) articles provided for in subheading
6214.10.10 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of
the United States, as in effect on January 1, 1997;
or
‘‘(2) articles provided for in heading 5007 of
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United
States as in effect on January 1, 1997.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 304(j) of
such Act, as redesignated by subsection (a)(1) of this sec-
tion, is amended by striking ‘‘subsection (h)’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘subsection (i)’’.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section apply to goods entered, or withdrawn from
warehouse for consumption, on or after the date of enact-
ment of this Act.
SEC. 2424. EXTENSION OF NONDISCRIMINATORY TREAT-
MENT (NORMAL TRADE RELATIONS TREAT-
MENT) TO THE PRODUCTS OF MONGOLIA.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that Mongolia—
(1) has received normal trade relations treat-
ment since 1991 and has been found to be in full
compliance with the freedom of emigration require-
ments under title IV of the Trade Act of 1974;
(2) has emerged from nearly 70 years of com-
munism and dependence on the former Soviet
Union, approving a new constitution in 1992 which
has established a modern parliamentary democracy
charged with guaranteeing fundamental human
rights, freedom of expression, and an independent
judiciary;
(3) has held 4 national elections under the new
constitution, 2 presidential and 2 parliamentary,
thereby solidifying the nation’s transition to democ-
racy;
(4) has undertaken significant market-based
economic reforms, including privatization, the reduc-
tion of government subsidies, the elimination of most
price controls and virtually all import tariffs, and
the closing of insolvent banks;
(5) has concluded a bilateral trade treaty with
the United States in 1991, and a bilateral invest-
ment treaty in 1994;
(6) has acceded to the Agreement Establishing
the World Trade Organization, and extension of un-
conditional normal trade relations treatment to the
products of Mongolia would enable the United States
to avail itself of all rights under the World Trade
Organization with respect to Mongolia; and
(7) has demonstrated a strong desire to build
friendly relationships and to cooperate fully with the
United States on trade matters.
(b) TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE IV OF
THE TRADE ACT OF 1974 TO MONGOLIA.—
(1) PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATIONS AND EX-
TENSIONS OF NONDISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT.—
Notwithstanding any provision of title IV of the
Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2431 et seq.), the
President may—
(A) determine that such title should no
longer apply to Mongolia; and
(B) after making a determination under
subparagraph (A) with respect to Mongolia,
proclaim the extension of nondiscriminatory
treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to
the products of that country.
(2) TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE
IV.—On or after the effective date of the extension
under paragraph (1)(B) of nondiscriminatory treat-
ment to the products of Mongolia, title IV of the
Trade Act of 1974 shall cease to apply to that coun-
try.
SEC. 2425. ENHANCED CARGO INSPECTION PILOT PRO-
GRAM.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner of Customs is
authorized to establish a pilot program for fiscal year
1999 to provide 24-hour cargo inspection service on a fee-
for-service basis at an international airport described in
subsection (b). The Commissioner may extend the pilot
program for fiscal years after fiscal year 1999 if the Com-
missioner determines that the extension is warranted.
(b) AIRPORT DESCRIBED.—The international airport
described in this subsection is a multi-modal international
airport that—
(1) is located near a seaport; and
(2) serviced more than 185,000 tons of air
cargo in 1997.
SEC. 2426. PAYMENT OF EDUCATION COSTS OF DEPEND-
ENTS OF CERTAIN CUSTOMS SERVICE PER-
SONNEL.
Notwithstanding section 2164 of title 10, United
States Code, the Department of Defense shall permit the
dependent children of deceased United States Customs
Aviation Group Supervisor Pedro J. Rodriquez attending
the Antilles Consolidated School System in Puerto Rico,
to complete their primary and secondary education within
this school system without cost to such children or any
parent, relative, or guardian of such children. The United
States Customs Service shall reimburse the Department
of Defense for reasonable education expenses to cover
these costs.
TITLE III—AMENDMENTS TO IN-
TERNAL REVENUE CODE OF
1986
SEC. 3001. PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A LIABILITY TREATED
IN SAME MANNER AS ASSUMPTION OF LI-
ABILITY.
(a) REPEAL OF PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A LIABILITY
TEST.—
(1) SECTION 357.—Section 357(a)(2) of the In-
ternal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to assump-
tion of liability) is amended by striking ‘‘, or ac-
quires from the taxpayer property subject to a liabil-
ity’’.
(2) SECTION 358.—Section 358(d)(1) of such
Code (relating to assumption of liability) is amended
by striking ‘‘or acquired from the taxpayer property
subject to a liability’’.
(3) SECTION 368.—
(A) Section 368(a)(1)(C) of such Code is
amended by striking ‘‘, or the fact that prop-
erty acquired is subject to a liability,’’.
(B) 
The 
last 
sentence 
of 
section
368(a)(2)(B) of such Code is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘, and the amount of any liability to which
any property acquired from the acquiring cor-
poration is subject,’’.
(b) CLARIFICATION
OF ASSUMPTION
OF LIABIL-
ITY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 357 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the
end the following new subsection:
‘‘(d) DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT OF LIABILITY AS-
SUMED.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, 
section 
358(d), 
section 
362(d), 
section
368(a)(1)(C), and section 368(a)(2)(B), except as
provided in regulations—
‘‘(A) a recourse liability (or portion there-
of) shall be treated as having been assumed if,
as determined on the basis of all facts and cir-
cumstances, the transferee has agreed to, and is
expected to, satisfy such liability (or portion),
whether or not the transferor has been relieved
of such liability; and
‘‘(B) except to the extent provided in para-
graph (2), a nonrecourse liability shall be treat-
ed as having been assumed by the transferee of
any asset subject to such liability.
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION
FOR
NONRECOURSE
LIABIL-
ITY.—The amount of the nonrecourse liability treat-
ed as described in paragraph (1)(B) shall be reduced
by the lesser of—
‘‘(A) the amount of such liability which an
owner of other assets not transferred to the
transferee and also subject to such liability has
agreed with the transferee to, and is expected
to, satisfy; or
‘‘(B) the fair market value of such other
assets (determined without regard to section
7701(g)).
‘‘(3) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall pre-
scribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry
out the purposes of this subsection and section
362(d). The Secretary may also prescribe regula-
tions which provide that the manner in which a li-
ability is treated as assumed under this subsection
is applied, where appropriate, elsewhere in this
title.’’.
(2) LIMITATION ON BASIS INCREASE ATTRIB-
UTABLE
TO
ASSUMPTION
OF
LIABILITY.—Section
362 of such Code is amended by adding at the end
the following new subsection:
‘‘(d) LIMITATION
ON
BASIS
INCREASE
ATTRIB-
UTABLE TO ASSUMPTION OF LIABILITY.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In no event shall the basis
of any property be increased under subsection (a) or
(b) above the fair market value of such property (de-
termined without regard to section 7701(g)) by rea-
son of any gain recognized to the transferor as a re-
sult of the assumption of a liability.
‘‘(2) TREATMENT OF GAIN NOT SUBJECT TO
TAX.—Except as provided in regulations, if—
‘‘(A) gain is recognized to the transferor as
a result of an assumption of a nonrecourse li-
ability by a transferee which is also secured by
assets not transferred to such transferee; and
‘‘(B) no person is subject to tax under this
title on such gain,
then, for purposes of determining basis under sub-
sections (a) and (b), the amount of gain recognized
by the transferor as a result of the assumption of
the liability shall be determined as if the liability as-
sumed by the transferee equaled such transferee’s
ratable portion of such liability determined on the
basis of the relative fair market values (determined
without regard to section 7701(g)) of all of the as-
sets subject to such liability.’’.
(c) APPLICATION TO PROVISIONS OTHER THAN SUB-
CHAPTER C.—
(1) SECTION 584.—Section 584(h)(3) of the In-
ternal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘, and the fact that any
property transferred by the common trust fund
is subject to a liability,’’ in subparagraph (A);
and
(B) by striking clause (ii) of subparagraph
(B) and inserting:
‘‘(ii) 
ASSUMED
LIABILITIES.—For
purposes of clause (i), the term ‘assumed
liabilities’ means any liability of the com-
mon trust fund assumed by any regulated
investment company in connection with the
transfer referred to in paragraph (1)(A).
‘‘(C) ASSUMPTION.—For purposes of this
paragraph, in determining the amount of any li-
ability assumed, the rules of section 357(d)
shall apply.’’.
(2) SECTION 1031.—The last sentence of section
1031(d) of such Code is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘assumed a liability of the
taxpayer or acquired from the taxpayer prop-
erty subject to a liability’’ and inserting ‘‘as-