[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 9 (Tuesday, February 10, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S585-S586]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BREAUX:
  S. 1620. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain textile 
machinery; to the Committee on Finance.

[[Page S586]]

             TEXTILE MACHINERY DUTY SUSPENSION LEGISLATION

  Mr. BREAUX. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation that 
would suspend the current duty on ink-jet textile printing machinery 
through December 31, 1999. I would like to make some brief comments 
about this bill.
  It is my understanding that this machinery is not made in the United 
States, so there are no domestic producers that are likely to be harmed 
by this bill. Furthermore, the revenues currently generated by the duty 
on these machines are under $500,000 per annum, making it a de minimis 
amount under budget rules. This being the case, Mr. President, I think 
my colleagues will agree that this bill is not apt to have any 
detrimental effects on domestic industry or federal revenue.
  In fact, I believe such a measure could represent a potential 
economic benefit for the textile industry. These ink-jet printing 
machines are used to print patterns and designs on fabrics, and they 
are indispensable for a large part of our domestic textile industry. 
They are also extremely costly. It stands to reason that every little 
bit we can do for our domestic textile producers to reduce their costs 
of production help them to be competitive in this increasingly global 
economy.
  Mr. President, this is a good bill with no substantial costs 
involved, and I want to encourage my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1620

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

     SECTION 1. TEXTILE MACHINERY.

       (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 99 of the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is amended by 
     inserting in numerical sequence the following new heading:
         

         ``    9902.84.43     Ink-jet textile    Free        No change        No change       On or before
                               printing                                                        12/31/99
                               machinery
                               (provided for in
                               subheading
                               8443.51.10).....
 

       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply to goods entered, or withdraw from warehouse for 
     consumption, on or after the date that is 15 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act.
       (c) Retroactive Application.--Notwithstanding section 514 
     of the Tariff Act of 1930 or any other provision of law, upon 
     proper request filed with the Customs Service not later than 
     180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, any entry, 
     or withdrawal from warehouse for consumption, of goods 
     described in subheading 9902.81.10 of the Harmonized Tariff 
     Schedule of the United States (as added by subsection (a)) 
     that--
       (1) was made after December 31, 1997, and before the date 
     that is 15 days after the date of enactment of this Act; and
       (2) with respect to which there would have been no duty if 
     the amendment made by subsection (a) applied to such entry or 
     withdrawal,
     shall be liquidated or reliquidated as if such amendment 
     applied to such entry or withdrawal.

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