[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 141 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H10294-H10295]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   ANNOUNCEMENT OF INTENTION TO OFFER RESOLUTION RAISING QUESTION OF 
                        PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE

  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House rule IX, clause 1, I 
rise to give notice of my intent to present a question of personal 
privilege of the House.
  The form of the resolution is as follows:
  A resolution, in accordance with House rule IX, clause 1, expressing 
the sense of the House that its integrity has been impugned because the 
anti-dumping provisions of the Trade and Tariff Act of 1930, (Subtitle 
B of Title VII) have not been expeditiously enforced;
  Whereas the current financial crisis 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, 
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 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 by the House of Representatives that 
the House of Representatives calls upon the President of the United 
States to:
  Number 1, take all necessary measures to respond to the surge of 
steel imports resulting from the financial crises in Asia, Russia, and 
other regions, and for other purposes;
  Number 2, to pursue enhanced enforcement of United States trade laws 
with respect to the surge of steel imports into the United States, 
using all remedies available under those laws including offsetting 
duties, quantitative restraints, and other authorized remedial measures 
as appropriate;
  Number 3, pursue with all tools at his disposal a more equitable 
sharing of the burden of accepting imports of finished steel products 
from Asia and the countries within the Commonwealth of Independent 
States;
  Number 4, establish a task force within the executive branch with 
responsibility for closely monitoring United States imports of steel; 
and
  Number 5, report to the Congress by no later than January 5, of the 
coming year, 1999, with a comprehensive plan for responding to this 
import surge, including ways of limiting its deleterious effects on 
employment, prices, and investment in the United States steel industry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Sununu). Under rule IX, a resolution 
offered from the floor by a Member

[[Page H10295]]

other than the majority leader or the minority leader as a question of 
the privileges of the House has immediate precedence only at a time 
designated by the Chair within 2 legislative days after the resolution 
is properly noticed.
  Pending that designation, the form of the resolution noticed by the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant) will appear in the Record at this 
point.
  The Chair will not at this point determine whether the resolution 
constitutes a question of privilege. That determination will be made at 
the time designated for consideration of the resolution.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I ask to be heard at the appropriate time 
on the question of whether this resolution constitutes a question of 
privilege.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will do so at the appropriate 
time.

                          ____________________