An Act to extend the authority of the President to enter into trade agreements Tinder section 350 of the Tariff Act of 1930 as amended, and for other purposes
PL 84-86 (H.R.1), enacted 06/21/1955

162 
PUBLIC LAW 85-JUNE 16, 1955 
[69 ST A T . 
" (1) To purchase a farm on which there is a farm residence to 
be occupied by the veteran as his home; 
" (2) To construct on land owned by the veteran a farm residence 
to be occupied by him as his home; or 
" (3) To repair, alter, or improve a farm residence owned by the 
veteran and occupied by him as his home. 
If there is an indebtedness which is secured by a lien against land owned 
by the veteran, the proceeds of a loan for the construction of a farm 
residence on such land may be expended also to liquidate such lien, but 
only if the reasonable value of the land is equal to or in excess of the 
amount of the lien." 
SEC. 2. Subsection (b) of such section is hereby amended by inserting 
immediately after "specified in subsection (a)" the following 
subsection (c)". 
Approved June 16, 1955. 
or 
June 16, 1955 
[H. R. 5177] 
Public Law 85 
CHAPTER 154 
AN ACT 
To authorize the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to reconvey to Kichland 
County, South Carolina, a portion of the Veterans' Administration hospital 
reservation, Columbia, South Carolina. 
Richland County, 
S. C. 
Reconveyance. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of ftepresentatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Adminis-
trator of Veterans' Affairs is authorized and directed to reconvey to 
Richland County, South Carolina, without consideration, all right, 
title, and interest of the United States in and to a tract of approxi-
mately one hundred and ten acres of land which constitute a portion 
of land conveyed to the United States by Richland County. 
The one 
hundred and ten acres now comprise a portion of the Veterans' Admin-
istration hospital reservation, Columbia, South Carolina, lying west 
of the main hospital buildings. 
The exact legal description of the 
land to be conveyed shall be determined by the Administrator or his 
designate and, in the event that a survey is required in order to make 
such determination, Richland County shall bear the expense thereof. 
SEC. 2. The deed of conveyance authorized under the provisions of 
this Act may contain such terms, conditions, reservations, and restric-
tions as may be determined by the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs 
to be necessary to protect the interests of the United States. 
Approved June 16, 1955. 
June 21, 1955 
[H. R. 1] 
Public Law 86 
CHAPTER 169 
AN ACT 
To extend the autliority of the President to enter into trade agreements under 
section 350 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and for other piarposes. 
T r a d e A g r e e-
m e n t s Extension 
Act of 1955. 
68 Stat. 360. 
48 Stat. 943. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may 
be cited as the "Trade Agreements Extension Act of 1955". 
SEC. 2. The period during which the President is authorized to enter 
into foreign trade agreements under section 350 of the Tariff' Act of 
1930, as amended (19 U. S. C, sec. 1351), is hereby extended from June 
12,1955, until the close of June 30,1958. 
SEC. 3. (a) Subsection (a) of section 350 of the Tariff Act of 1930, 
as amended (19 U. S. C, sec. 1351 (a)), is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
69 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 86-JUNE 21, 1955 
163 
"(a) (1) For the purpose of expanding foreign markets for the 
products of the United States (as a means of assisting in establishing 
and maintaining a better relationship among various branches of 
American agriculture, industry, mining, and commerce) by regu-
lating the admission of foreign goods into the United States in accord-
ance with the characteristics and needs of various branches of Ameri-
can production so that foreign markets will be made available to 
those branches of American production which require and are capable 
of developing such outlets by affording corresponding market oppor-
tunities for foreign products in the United States, the President, when-
ever he finds as a fact that any existing duties or other import restric-
tions of the United States or any foreign country are unduly burden-
ing and restricting the foreign trade of the United States and that 
the purpose above declared will be promoted by the means hereinafter 
specified, is authorized from time to time— 
"(A) To enter into foreign trade agreements with foreign 
governments or instrumentalities thereof: Provided^ That the 
enactment of the Trade Agreements P^xtension Act of 1955 shall 
not be construed to determine or indicate the approval or dis-
approval by the Congress of the executive agreement known as 
the General Agreement on Tariff's and Trade. 
"(B) To proclaim such modifications of existing duties and 
other import restrictions, or such additional import restrictions, 
or such continuance, and for such minimum periods, of existing 
customs or excise treatmeiit of any article covered by foreign 
trade agreements, as are required or appropriate to carry out any 
foreign trade agreement that the President has entered into 
hereunder. 
"(2) No proclamation pursuant to paragraph (1) (B) of this sub-
section shall be made— 
"(A) Increasing by more than 50 per centum any rate of 
duty existing on January 1, 1945. 
"(B) Transferring any article between the dutiable and free 
lists. 
"(C) In order to carry out a foreign trade agreement entered 
into by the President before June 12, 1955, or with respect to 
which notice of intention to negotiate was published in the 
Federal Register on November 16, 1954, decreasing by more than 
50 per centum any rate of duty existing on January 1, 1945. 
"(D) In order to carry out a foreign trade agreement entered 
into by the President on or after June 12,1955, decreasing (except 
as provided in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph) any rate of 
duty below the lowest of the following rates: 
"(i) The rate 15 per centum below the rate existing on 
January 1, 1955. 
"(ii) In the case of any article subject to an ad valorem 
rate of duty above 50 per centum (or a combination of ad valo-
rem rates aggregating more than 50 per centum), the rate 50 
per centum ad valorem (or a combination of ad valorem rates 
aggregating 50 per centum). 
In the case of any article 
subject to a specific rate of duty (or a combination of rates 
including a specific rate) the ad valorem equivalent of 
which has been determined by the President to have been 
above 50 per centum during a period determined by the 
President to be a representative period, the rate 50 per 
centum ad valorem or the rate (or a combination of rates), 
however stated, the ad valorem equivalent of which the Presi-
dent determines would have been 50 per centum during such 
A u t h o r i t y 
President* 
of 
61 Stat. pts. S 
and 6. 
L i m i t ations on 
duty modifications. 
164 
PUBLIC LAW 86-JUNE 21, 1955 
[69 S T A T . 
Eff e c t i v i t y of 
duty modifications. 
D e c r e a s e s 
in 
duty. 
Authority to ex> 
ceed limitation. 
Applicability. 
65 Stat. 73. 
period. 
The standards of valuation contained in section 402 
of this Act (as in effect during the representative period) 
shall be utilized by the President, to the maximum extent 
he finds such utilization practicable, in making the determina-
tions under the preceding sentence. 
"(3) (A) Subject to the provisions of subparagraphs (B) and (C) 
of this paragraph, the provisions of any proclamation made under 
paragraph (1) (B) of this subsection, and the provisions of any 
l)roclamation of suspension under paragraph (4) of this subsection, 
shall be in effect from and after such time as is specified in the 
proclamation. 
"(B) In the case of any decrease in duty to which paragraph (2) 
(D) of this subsection applies— 
"(i) if the total amount of the decrease under the foreign trade 
agreement does not exceed 15 per centum of the rate existing on 
January 1, 1955, the amount of decrease becoming initially effec-
tive at one time shall not exceed 5 per centum of the rate existing 
on January 1, 1955; 
" (ii) except as provided in clause (i), not more than one-third 
of the total amount of the decrease under the foreign trade agree-
ment shall become initially effective at one time; and 
"(iii) no part of the decrease after the first part shall become 
initially effective until the immediately previous part shall have 
been in effect for a period or periods aggregating not less than 
one year, 
"(C) No part of any decrease in duty to which the alternative speci-
fied in paragraph (2) (D) (i) of this subsection applies shall become 
initially effective after the expiration of the three-year period which 
begins on July 1,1955. If any part of such decrease has become effec-
tive, then for purposes of this subparagraph any time thereafter dur-
ing which such part of the decrease is not in effect by reason of legis-
lation of the United States or action thereunder shall be excluded in 
determining when the three-year period expires. 
"(D) If (in order to carry out a foreign trade agreement entered 
into by the President on or after June 12, 1955) the President deter-
mines that such action will simplify the computation of the amount 
of duty imposed with respect to an article, he may exceed any limitation 
specified in paragraph (2) (C) or (D) of this subsection or subpara-
graph (B) of this paragraph by not more than whichever of tlie 
following is lesser: 
"(i) The difference between the limitation and the next lower 
whole number, or 
"(ii) One-half of 1 per centum ad valorem. 
In the case of a specific rate (or of a combination of rates which 
includes a specific rate), the one-half of 1 i>er centum specified in 
clause (ii) of the preceding sentence shall be determined in the same 
manner as the ad valorem equivalent of rates not stated wholly in ad 
valorem terms is determined for the purposes of paragraph (2) (D) 
(ii) of this subsection. 
"(4) Subject to the provisions of section 5 of the Trade Agreements 
Extension Act of 1951 (19 U. S. C , sec. 1362), duties and other import 
restrictions proclaimed pursuant to this section shall apply to articles 
the growth, produce, or manufacture of all foreign countries, whether 
imported directly or indirectly: Provided^ That the President shall, as 
soon as practicable, suspend the application to articles the growth, 
produce, or manufacture of any country because of its discriminatory 
treatment of American commerce or because of other acts (including 
the operations of international cartels) or policies which in his opinion 
tend to defeat the purpose of this section. 
69 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 86-JUNE 21, 1955 
165 
"(5) The President may at any time terminate, in whole or in part, 
any proclamation made pursuant to this section." 
(b) The last sentence of section 350 (b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, 
as amended (19 U. S. C, sec. 1351 (b)), is hereby amended to read as 
follows: "No rate of duty on products of Cuba shall be decreased— 
"(1) In order to carry out a foreign trade agreement entered 
into by the President before June 12, 1955, by more than 50 per 
centum of the rate of duty existing on January 1, 1945, with re-
spect to products of Cuba. 
"(2) In order to carry out a foreign trade agreement entered 
into by the President on or after June 12, 1955, below^ the appli-
cable alternative specified in subsection (a) (2) (C) or (D) (sub-
ject to the provisions of subsection (a) (3) (B), (C), and (D)), 
each such alternative to be read for the purposes of this para-
graph as relating to the rate of duty applicable to products of 
Cuba. With respect to products of Cuba, the limitation of sub-
section (a) (2) (D) (ii) may be exceeded to such extent as may 
be required to maintain an absolute margin of preference to which 
such products are entitled." 
(c) Subsection (c) of section 350 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as 
amended (19 U. S. C, sec. 1351 (c)), is hereby amended by inserting 
"(1)" after "(c)", by striking out "(1)" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"(A)", by striking out "(2)" and inserting in lieu thereof "(B)", and 
by adding at the end thereof the following new paragraph: 
" (2) For purposes of this section— 
"(A) Except as provided in subsection (d), the terms 'exist-
ing on January 1, 1945' and 'existing on January 1, 1955' refer 
to rates of duty (however established, and even though tempo-
rarily suspended by Act of Congress or otherwise) existing on 
the date specified, except rates in effect by reason of action taken 
pursuant to section 5 of the Trade Agreements Extension Act of 
1951 (19 U.S. C , sec. 1362). 
"(B) The term 'existing' without the specification of any date, 
when used with respect to any matter relating to the conclusion 
of, or proclamation to carry out, a foreign trade agreement, means 
existing on the day on which that trade agreement is entered into." 
(d) Section 350 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U. S. C, 
sec. 1351), is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the follow-
ing new subsection: 
"(e) (1) The President shall submit to the Congress an annual 
report on the operation of the trade agreements program, including 
information regarding new negotiations, modifications made in duties 
and import restrictions of the United States, reciprocal concessions 
obtained, modifications of existing trade agreements in order to effec-
tuate more fully the purposes of the trade agreements legislation (in-
cluding the incorporation therein of escape clauses), and other in-
formation relating to that program and to the agreements entered 
into thereunder. 
"(2) The Tariff Commission shall at all times keep informed con-
cerning the operation and effect of provisions relating to duties or 
other import restrictions of the United States contained in trade 
agreements heretofore or hereafter entered into by the President 
under the authority of this section. The Tariff Commission, at least 
once a year, shall submit to the Congress a factual report on the opera-
tion of the trade-agreements program." 
SEC. 4. Subsection (b) of section 6 of the Trade Agreements Ex-
tension Act of 1951, as amended (19 U. S. C , sec. 1363 (b)), is hereby 
amended by striking out the second sentence thereof. 
Cuban productsa 
63 Stat. 698. 
Definitions. 
48 Stat. 944. 
59 Stat. 411. 
19 u s e 1351 (d). 
65 Stat. 73. 
48 Stat. 943. 
Reports to Con-
gress. 
65 Stat. 73. 
166 
PUBLIC LAW 87-JUNE 21, 1955 
[69 S T A T . 
E s c a p e clause 
operation. 
65 Stat. 74. 
P u b l i c a t i o n of 
findings in FR. 
Definitions. 
68 Stat. 360. 
im-
ODM. 
Reports on 
ports i m p a i r i n g 
national sectirity. 
SEC. 5. The last sentence of subsection (a) of section 7 of the Trade 
Agreements Extension Act of 1951, as amended (19 U. S. C, sec. 1364 
(a)), is amended to read as follows: "The Tariff Commission shall 
immediately make public its findings and recommendations to the 
President, including any dissenting or separate findings and recom-
mendations, and shall cause a summary thereof to be piu)lished in the 
Federal Register.". 
SEC. 6. (a) Subsection (b) of section 7 of the Trade Agreements 
Extension Act of 1951, as amended (19 U. S. C, sec. 1364 (b)), is 
amended by adding at the end thereof the following: "Increased 
imports, either actual or relative, shall be considered as the cause or 
threat of serious injury to the domestic industry producing like or 
directly competitive products when the Commission finds that such 
increased imports have contributed substantially towards causing or 
threatening serious injury to such industry.". 
(b) Section 7 of the Trade Agreements Extension Act of 1951, as 
amended (19 U. S. C, sec. 1364), is amended by adding at the end 
thereof the following new subsection: 
"(e) As used in this Act, the terms 'domestic industry producing 
like or directly competitive products' and 'domestic industry producing 
like or directly competitive articles' mean that portion or subdivision 
of the producing organizations manufacturing, assembling, processing, 
extracting, growing, or otherwise producing like or directly competi-
tive products or articles in commercial quantities. 
In applying the 
preceding sentence, the Commission shall (so far as practicable) dis-
tinguish or separate the operations of the producing organizations 
involving the like or directly competitive products or articles referred 
to in such sentence from the operations of such organizations involving 
other products or articles.". 
SEC. 7. Section 2 of the Act entitled "An Act to extend the authority 
of the President to enter into trade agreements under section 350 of the 
Tariff Act of 1930, as amended", approved July 1, 1954 (19 U. S. C , 
sec. 1352a), is hereby amended by inserting " ( a ) " after "SEC. 2." and 
by adding at the end thereof a new subsection as follows: 
"(b) In order to further the policy and purpose of this section, 
whenever the Director of the Office of Defense Mobilization has reason 
to believe that any article is being imported into the United States in 
such quantities as to threaten to impair the national security, he shall 
so advise the President, and if the President agrees that there is reason 
for such belief, the President shall cause an immediate investigation 
to be made to determine the facts. 
If, on the basis of such investiga-
tion, and the report to him of the findings and recommendations 
made in connection therewith, the President finds that the article is 
being imported into the United States in such quantities as to threaten 
to impair the national security, he shall take such action as he deems 
necessary to adjust the imports of such article to a level that will not 
threaten to impair the national security.". 
Approved June 21, 1955. 
June 21, 1955 
[S. 1419] 
Public Law 87 
CHAPTER lYU 
AN ACT 
To lower the age requirements with respect to optional retirement of i)ers()ns 
serving in the Coast Guard who served in the former Lighthouse Service. 
Lighthouse Serv^ 
ice. 
Retirement age. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That section 6 of 
the Act entitled "An Act to authorize aids to navigation and for other