[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 141 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H10334]
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. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1 of rule IX, I hereby 
give notice of my intention to offer a resolution which raises a 
question of the privileges 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 the 
collapse in the domestic demand for steel in these countries;
  Whereas the crisis has 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 levels of 1997, and steel imports from Russia and Ukraine now 
approach 2.5 million 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 the 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 well-recognized need for 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 final crisis in Asia, Russia, and other 
regions, and for other purposes;
  (2) pursue enhanced enforcement of the 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 as its disposal a more equitable sharing of 
the burden of accepting imports of finished steel products from Asia 
and the countries from within the Commonwealth of States;
  (4) establish a task force within the executive branch with 
responsibility for closely monitoring United States steel 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 the 
ways of limiting its deleterious effects on employment, prices, and 
investment in the United States steel industry.

                              {time}  1940

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Snowbarger). 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 
Arkansas (Mr. Berry) 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. BERRY. 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 gentleman will have that opportunity.

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