[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2498 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2498

To amend the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to extend 
 to certain fine jewelry certain trade benefits of insular possessions 
                         of the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 18, 1997

   Ms. Christian-Green (for herself, Mr. Rangel, and Mr. Jefferson) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                             Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to extend 
 to certain fine jewelry certain trade benefits of insular possessions 
                         of the United States.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
That the additional U.S. notes to chapter 71 of the Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule of the United States are amended by adding at the end the 
following new note:
``3.(a) Notwithstanding any other provision in additional U.S. note 5 
        to chapter 91, any article of jewelry provided for in heading 
        7113 which is the product of the Virgin Islands, Guam, or 
        American Samoa (including any such article which contains any 
        foreign component) shall be eligible for the benefits provided 
        in paragraph (h) of additional U.S. note 5 to chapter 91, 
        subject to the provisions and limitations of that note and of 
        paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this note.
``(b) Nothing provided for in this note shall result in an increase or 
        a decrease in the aggregate amount referred to in paragraph 
        (h)(iii) of, or quantitative limitation otherwise established 
        pursuant to the requirements of, additional U.S. note 5 to 
        chapter 91.
``(c) Nothing provided for in this note shall be construed to permit a 
        reduction in the amount available to watch producers under 
        paragraph (h)(iv) of additional U.S. note 5 to chapter 91.
``(d) The Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior shall 
        issue such regulations, not inconsistent with the provisions of 
        this note and additional U.S. note 5 to chapter 91, as they 
        determine necessary to carry out their respective duties under 
        this note. Such regulations shall not be inconsistent with 
        substantial transformation requirements established by the 
        United States Customs Service but may define the circumstances 
        under which articles of jewelry shall be deemed to be `units' 
        for purposes of the benefits, provisions, and limitations of 
        additional U.S. note 5 to chapter 91.''.
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