[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 33 (Monday, March 23, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2430-S2431]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LAUTENBERG:
  S. 1818. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on organic 
luminescent pigments, dyes, and fibers for security applications; to 
the Committee on Finance.
  S. 1819. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on fluorozirconium 
compounds; to the Committee on Finance.
  S. 1820. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on 4-Hexylresorcinol; 
to the Committee on Finance.
  S. 1821. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on polymethine 
sensitizing dyes for imaging applications; to the Committee on Finance.


                      DUTY SUSPENSION LEGISLATION

  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
to suspend temporarily the rate of duty on four products produced by a 
constituent, AlliedSignal Inc. I am introducing a separate bill for 
each of the four products. The first is organic luminescent pigments, 
dyes, and fibers that are used in products requiring security and anti-
counterfeiting technology. Unlike other pigments and dyes, these 
luminescent compounds are designed on a proprietary basis for one 
specific anti-counterfeiting application. The current duty is 5.9%. The 
second product, 4-Hexylresorcinol, has a variety of applications, 
including in throat lozenges, topical antiseptics, and other 
pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. The current duty is 5.8%. 
Potassium hexafluorozirconate and hexafluorozirconium acid are used in 
the treatment of aluminum alloys in a variety of applications, 
including aerospace. The current duties are 3.1% and 4.2%. Finally, 
polymethine sensitizing dyes are used to improve the spectral response 
of photo-sensitive emulsions on photographic films. These dyes are 
complex organic molecules, and each one is typically designed on a 
proprietary basis to the customer's specifications. The current duty is 
6.8%.
  I have received assurances from AlliedSignal that there is no 
commercial US manufacturer for any of these products. Furthermore, each 
of the products was included in the United States Trade 
Representative's ``zero list'' of chemicals whose U.S. tariffs it tried 
to eliminate, in exchange for concessions from trading partners, during 
the November 1997 APEC Ministerial meeting. In a chemical industry-wide 
review of the zero list, no U.S. company objected to the proposed 
elimination of these products' duties.
  Suspending the duties of products that are not produced in the United 
States helps our companies maintain their global competitiveness. This 
benefits our manufacturers as well as American workers and consumers. I

[[Page S2431]]

ask my colleagues to support this legislation. I ask unanimous consent 
text of the bills be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bills were ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1818

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

     SECTION 1. TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF DUTY ON CERTAIN ORGANIC 
                   PIGMENTS, DYES, AND FIBERS.

       (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:
         

``9902.32.0  Organic luminescent                                        
 4.           pigments, dyes,                                           
              and fibers for                                            
              security                                                  
              applications                                              
              (provided for in                                          
              subheading                                                
              3204.90.00).......  Free    No                            
                                           change   No                  
                                                     change   On or     
                                                               before 12/
                                                               31/      
                                                               2001''.  
                                                                        

       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn from 
     warehouse for consumption, on or after the date that is 15 
     days after the date of enactment of this Act.
                                                                    ____


                                S. 1819

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

     SECTION 1. TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF DUTY ON CERTAIN 
                   FLUOROZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS.

       (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:
         

  ``9902.28  Potassium                                                  
 .11.         hexafluorozirconat                                        
              e (CAS No. 16923-                                         
              95-8) (provided                                           
              for in subheading                                         
              2826.90.00) and                                           
              hexafluorozirconiu                                        
              m acid (CAS No.                                           
              12021-95-3)                                               
              (provided for in                                          
              subheading                                                
              2811.19.60).......  Free    No                            
                                           change   No                  
                                                     change   On or     
                                                               before 12/
                                                               31/      
                                                               2001''.  
                                                                        

       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn from 
     warehouse for consumption, on or after the date that is 15 
     days after the date of enactment of this Act.
                                                                    ____


                                S. 1820

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

     SECTION 1. TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF DUTY ON 4-HEXYLRESORCINOL.

       (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:
         

  ``9902.29  4-Hexylresorcinol    Free    No        No        On or     
 .07.         (CAS No. 136-77-6)           change    change    before 12/
              (provided for in                                 31/      
              subheading                                       2001''.  
              2907.29.90)                                               
                                                                        

       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn from 
     warehouse for consumption, on or after the date that is 15 
     days after the date of enactment of this Act.
                                                                    ____


                                S. 1821

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

     SECTION 1. TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF DUTY ON CERTAIN 
                   SENSITIZING DYES.

       (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:
         

  ``9902.29  Polymethine photo-                                         
 .34.         sensitizing dyes                                          
              (provided for in                                          
              subheadings                                               
              2934.90.90 and                                            
              2933.19.90).......  Free    No                            
                                           change   No                  
                                                     change   On or     
                                                               before 12/
                                                               31/      
                                                               2001''.  
                                                                        

       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn from 
     warehouse for consumption, on or after the date that is 15 
     days after the date of enactment of this Act.
                                 ______