[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 93 (Tuesday, July 18, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7160-S7161]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LOTT:
  S. 2883. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on piano plates; to 
the Committee on Finance.


              temporary suspension of duty on piano plates

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
temporarily suspending duties on imports of certain piano plates. This 
legislation is needed to address a difficult situation facing the 
domestic piano industry.
  A piano plate is an essential part of a piano. It is the iron casting 
over which the strings are stretched and tuned by pins inserted in the 
plate. Baldwin Piano & Organ Company, which employs more than 600 
workers in the production of pianos in Arkansas and Mississippi, is one 
of a diminishing number of piano producers in the United States. Piano 
plates are produced in the United States by a single company, a 
competitor of Baldwin, whose production is for the most part captively 
consumed. As such, Baldwin lacks a domestic source for piano plates, 
other than the surplus production of one of its competitors. Due to its 
own demand for plates, Baldwin's competitor cannot meet Baldwin's 
requirements.
  Mr. President the history and recent contraction in the domestic 
piano industry points to the critical need for this legislation. 
Indeed, were the production of Baldwin or other domestic producers to 
be curtailed due to the insufficient availability of domestically-
produced piano plates, it is likely that this would engender an 
increase in foreign piano supply, rather than an increase in market 
share of other domestic producers. This is evident from the fact that, 
in the early 1980s, there were 15 domestic piano producers supplying 
approximately 80 percent of U.S. consumption, whereas now only nine 
domestic producers remain--servicing approximately half, if not less, 
of the U.S. market. The domestic piano industry is well aware that 
foreign production stands ready to fill any gap in domestic supply.
  The legislation I am introducing today would temporarily suspend, 
through the year 2004, the rate of duty applicable to imports of piano 
plates provided for in subheading 9209.91.80 of the Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule of the United States. Currently, the applicable rate of duty 
is 4.2 percent ad valorem. If the legislation is approved, the 
reduction in duty collection is estimated to be between $300,000 and 
$400,000 per year through 2004.
  Given the situation currently facing domestic piano producers, it is 
unlikely that there will be objection from other domestic manufacturers 
to the legislation proposed today. In view of the fact that Baldwin 
must resort to imported plates regardless of the duty rate applicable 
to such imports, and that no appreciable domestic production of piano 
plates will be displaced by imports, suspension of the duty rate will 
have no adverse affect upon the domestic industry. This legislation 
stands to ensure only that a U.S. piano producer will find a reliable 
source of supply for a critical component and thus will be better 
positioned to stand with other domestic producers in providing a secure 
and stable supply of pianos for the domestic market.
  I ask 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. 2883

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

     SECTION 1. PIANO PLATES.

       (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 item:

       

``  9902.92.09.....   Piano plates     Free...........  No change.......  No change.......  On or before 12/
                      (provided for                                                          31/2004........  ''
                      in subheading                                                                            .
                      9209.91.80)....
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[[Page S7161]]

       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to goods entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for 
     consumption, on or after the 15th day after the date of 
     enactment of this Act.
                                 ______