[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 141 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H10328-H10329]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




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

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House rule IX, clause 1, I 
rise to give notice of my intent to present a Question of Privilege of 
the House.
  Madam Speaker, the form of the resolution is as follows:

                               Resolution

       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;

[[Page H10329]]

       Wherease the current financial crises 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 to--
       (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;
       (2) 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;
       (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;
       (4) establish a task force within the executive branch with 
     responsibility for closely monitoring United States imports 
     of steel; and
       (5) report to the Congress by no later than January 5, 
     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. Under rule IX, a resolution offered from the 
floor by a Member 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 Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) 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. OBERSTAR. Madam 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 gentleman will be afforded that 
opportunity at that time.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. I thank the Speaker.

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