[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 598 Engrossed in House (EH)]


                 In the House of Representatives, U.S.,

                                                      October 15, 1998.
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 consuming countries, along with a collapse in the 
        domestic demand for steel in these countries;
Whereas the crises have generated and will continue to generate surges in United 
        States imports of steel, both from the countries whose currencies have 
        depreciated in the crisis and from steel producing countries that are no 
        longer able to export steel to the countries in economic crisis;
Whereas United States imports of finished steel mill products from Asian steel 
        producing countries--the People's Republic of China, Japan, South Korea, 
        India, Taiwan, Indonesia, 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 exceed 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 restraints of trade 
        distort international trade and investment 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 
        imports of steel from the Commonwealth of Independent States, including 
        Russia;
Whereas the United States is simultaneously facing a substantial increase in 
        steel imports from countries within the Commonwealth of Independent 
        States, including Russia, caused in part by the closure of Asian 
        markets;
Whereas the United States, through the International Monetary Fund, generously 
        participates in a bailout of the crisis countries on terms that do not 
        deter and in fact encourage 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 integrity has been impugned by the failure of the executive 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 territory of the United States of all steel products 
                that are the product or manufacture of Australia, China, South 
                Africa, Ukraine, Indonesia, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea, 
                or Brazil;
                    (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 agreements with respect to imports of 
                steel products into the United States, to immediately impose a 
                1-year ban on the imports of all steel products that are the 
                product or manufacture of Australia, China, South Africa, 
                Ukraine, Indonesia, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea, or 
                Brazil;
                    (C) to establish a task force within the executive branch to 
                closely monitor imports of steel products into the United States 
                from other countries to determine whether or not international 
                trade agreements are being violated; and
                    (D) not later than January 5, 1999, to report to Congress on 
                any other actions the President has taken, or intends to take, 
                to ensure that all trading partners of the United States abide 
                by the spirit and letter of international trade agreements with 
                respect to imports of steel products into the United States.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.