[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 69 (Thursday, May 16, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5192-S5193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. GLENN:
  S. 1768. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain fatty acid 
esters.


  legislation to suspend the duty on imports of certain methyl esters

  Mr. GLENN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill to 
temporarily suspend the duty on imports of certain methyl esters. These 
methyl esters are used by Procter & Gamble in the production of shampoo 
and other personal care products. Formerly, these products were 
eligible for the Generalized System of Preferences [GSP] program. 
However, as of January 1, 1997 Malaysia will no longer be eligible for 
GSP.
  My legislation is drafted very narrowly to cover only those very 
specific methyl ester mixtures which P & G imports from Malaysia. P & 
G's methyl ester imports are produced by a relatively recent joint 
venture. The first full year of the joint venture's production was 
1994. The fact that there was duty free treatment under GSP was an 
important part of the decision to undertake the joint venture. The 
joint

[[Page S5193]]

venture located production at the source of the raw material (palm 
kernel oil) and results in a cost efficient production process.
  While there are several companies in the U.S. that manufacture 
relatively small amounts of similar methyl esters, this production is 
almost entirely consumed in the manufacture of their own personal care 
products. Hence no opposition to the proposed duty suspension is 
anticipated.
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