[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1369 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1369

     To reduce the duty on imported minivans if such minivans are 
  administratively reclassified at a higher rate of duty and domestic 
automakers increase prices on domestic minivans at a rate greater than 
                         the rate of inflation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 16, 1993

 Mr. Schumer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To reduce the duty on imported minivans if such minivans are 
  administratively reclassified at a higher rate of duty and domestic 
automakers increase prices on domestic minivans at a rate greater than 
                         the rate of inflation.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Minivan Tariff Consumer Protection 
Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

    The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) It would inflict a significant financial burden on 
        United States consumers if United States automakers take 
        advantage of an increase in the rate of duty on imported 
        minivans to increase prices on domestic minivans.
            (2) If the rate of duty on imported minivans is increased 
        as the result of an administrative reclassification of minivans 
        and United States automakers increase prices on domestic 
        minivans at a rate greater than the rate of inflation, the 
        reclassified rate of duty should be rescinded in order to 
        protect United States consumers.

SEC. 3. TARIFF REDUCTION IN RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC MINIVAN PRICE 
              INCREASE.

    (a) In General.--If--
            (1) a reclassified rate of duty on minivans is in effect; 
        and
            (2) the United States Trade Representative determines that 
        during any effective period of the reclassified rate of duty, 
        on the average, the price of current model year domestic 
        minivans as compared to the price of comparable domestic 
        minivans during the preceding year increased at a rate faster 
        than the rate of inflation (based on the automobile component 
        of the Consumer Price Index), after compensating for any 
        differences in features between such minivans,
then the rate of duty on minivans that are entered, or withdrawn from 
warehouse for consumption, in the customs territory of the United 
States after the date of such determination shall be 2.5 percent ad 
valorem.
    (b) Minimum Requirement.--Not less than annually during any 
effective period of a reclassified rate of duty, the United States 
Trade Representative shall compare the price of current model year 
domestic minivans to the price of comparable domestic minivans during 
the preceding year to determine whether or not the rate of increase in 
the price of domestic minivans increased at a rate faster than the rate 
of inflation (based on the automobile component of the Consumer Price 
Index), after compensating for any differences in features between such 
minivans.

SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    If on December 31 of any year a reclassified rate of duty on 
minivans is in effect, the United States Trade Representative shall 
transmit to the Congress a report--
            (1) analyzing the average rate of increase in the price of 
        current model year domestic minivans as compared to the price 
        of comparable domestic minivans during the preceding year, 
        after compensating for any differences in features between such 
        minivans; and
            (2) comparing such rate of increase to the rate of 
        inflation (based on the automobile component of the Consumer 
        Price Index).

SEC. 5. DEFINITION.

    For the purposes of this Act, the term ``reclassified rate of 
duty'' means an administrative reclassification of minivans for tariff 
purposes that results in a rate of duty on imported minivans that 
exceeds the rate of duty on imported minivans that was in effect on 
January 1, 1993.

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