IV
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. RES. 598
Calling on the President to take all necessary measures to respond to the
surge of steel imports resulting from the financial crises in Asia, Russia,
and other regions, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 14, 1998
Mr. TRAFICANT (for himself, Mr. ROEMER, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr.
HORN, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. FOX of Penn-
sylvania, Mr. REGULA, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr.
CHAMBLISS, Mr. EVERETT, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. NEY, Mr. MOLLOHAN, Mr.
RAHALL, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. KANJORSKI, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr.
HOLDEN, Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. YOUNG of Florida, Mr.
COLLINS, Mr. LATOURETTE, Mr. COOKSEY, Mr. KLINK, Mr. MASCARA,
Mr. VISCLOSKY, Mr. PARKER, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. DICKEY,
Mr. MOAKLEY, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. LEWIS of California, Mr.
ENGEL, and Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania) submitted the following reso-
lution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
RESOLUTION
Calling on the President to take all necessary measures to
respond to the surge of steel imports resulting from
the financial crises in Asia, Russia, and other regions,
and for other purposes.
Whereas the current financial crises in Asia, Russia, and
other regions have involved massive depreciation in the
currencies of several key steel-producing and steel-con-
suming countries, along with a collapse in the domestic
demand for steel in these countries;
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Whereas the crises have generated and will continue to gen-
erate surges in United States imports of steel, both from
the countries whose currencies have depreciated in the
crises and from steel-producing countries that are no
longer able to export steel to the countries in economic
crises;
Whereas United States imports of finished steel mill products
from Asian steel-producing countries—the People’s Re-
public of China, Japan, South Korea, India, Taiwan, In-
donesia, Thailand, and Malaysia—have increased by 79
percent in the first 5 months of 1998 compared to the
same period in 1997;
Whereas year-to-date imports of steel from Russia now ex-
ceed the record import levels of 1997, and steel imports
from Russia and Ukraine now approach 2,500,000 net
tons;
Whereas foreign government trade restrictions and private re-
straints of trade distort international trade and invest-
ment patterns and result in burdens on United States
commerce, including absorption of a disproportionate
share of diverted steel trade;
Whereas the European Union, for example, despite also being
a major economy, in 1997 imported only one-tenth as
much finished steel products from Asian steel-producing
countries as the United States did and has restricted im-
ports of steel from the Commonwealth of Independent
States, including Russia;
Whereas the United States is simultaneously facing a sub-
stantial increase in steel imports from countries within
the Commonwealth of Independent States, including Rus-
sia, caused in part by the closure of Asian markets;
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Whereas the United States, through the International Mone-
tary Fund, generously participates in a bailout of the cri-
sis countries on terms that do not deter and in fact en-
courage them to export their way out of the crisis; and
Whereas there is a well-recognized need for improvements in
the enforcement of United States trade laws to provide
an effective response to such situations: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That—
(1) in accordance with rule IX, clause 1, of the
Rules of the House of Representatives, it is the
sense of the House of Representatives that its integ-
rity has been impugned by the failure of the execu-
tive branch to expeditiously enforce title VII of the
Tariff Act of 1930 in response to the surge of steel
imports resulting from the financial crises in Asia,
Russia, and other regions; and
(2) the House of Representatives calls upon the
President—
(A) to immediately review, for the 10-day
period beginning on the date of the adoption of
this resolution, the entry into the customs terri-
tory of the United States of all steel products
that are the product or manufacture of Aus-
tralia, China, South Africa, Ukraine, Indonesia,
India, Japan, Russia, South Korea, or Brazil;
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(B) if, after the 10-day period described in
subparagraph (A), the President finds that the
Governments of Australia, China, South Africa,
Ukraine, Indonesia, India, Japan, Russia,
South Korea, or Brazil are not abiding by the
spirit and letter of international trade agree-
ments with respect to imports of steel products
into the United States, to immediately impose
a 1-year ban on the imports of all steel prod-
ucts that are the product or manufacture of
Australia, China, South Africa, Ukraine, Indo-
nesia, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea, or
Brazil;
(C) to establish a task force within the ex-
ecutive branch to closely monitor imports of
steel products into the United States from other
countries to determine whether or not inter-
national trade agreements are being violated;
and
(D) not later than January 5, 1999, to re-
port to Congress on any other actions the
President has taken, or intends to take, to en-
sure that all trading partners of the United
States abide by the spirit and letter of inter-
•HRES 598 IH
national trade agreements with respect to im-
ports of steel products into the United States.
Æ