[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 110 (Wednesday, July 30, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S8362]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ROTH:
  S. 1088. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on ACM; to the 
Committee on Finance.


           Legislation to Suspend Temporarily the Duty on ACM

  Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I rise to introduce a bill to suspend the 
duty through December 31, 1999, on a product commonly known as ACM or 
[3-(Acetoxy)-3-cyanopropyl] methyl-phosphinic acid butylester, which 
falls under subheading 2931.00.90 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of 
the United States. ACM is an essential ingredient in the production of 
glufosinate ammonium, a patented nonselective, broad-spectrum 
herbicide, manufactured by AgrEvo USA under the brand name Liberty and 
used primarily in corn and soybean cultivation.
  The cost to import ACM currently comprises roughly 90 percent of the 
total cost of manufacturing glufosinate ammonium. Suspension of this 
duty will substantially lower AgrEvo's cost of production and thereby 
improve the company's competitiveness.
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