[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 35 (Thursday, March 15, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E375]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  THE GENERATOR TARIFF SUSPENSION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MAC COLLINS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 15, 2001

  Mr. COLLINS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to introduce legislation that 
would suspend the duty on the importation of replacement steam 
generators used in nuclear power plants.
  Steam generators are necessary for the operation of nuclear power 
facilities. However, because they are no longer produced in the United 
States, domestic electric utilities must import replacement nuclear 
steam generators. Despite the fact that there is neither a current nor 
any reasonable likelihood of future domestic manufacturing capability, 
a tariff is imposed on these imports. Prior to the conclusion of last 
year's Congress, a reduction in this tariff was included in the 
Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act (H.R. 4868). Because 
a full repeal would have breached the limitation on revenue impact for 
the bipartisan miscellaneous trade bill, the original full repeal of 
the tariff was changed to a reduction to 4.9 percent.
  This tariff should be removed. While providing no benefit to any 
domestic manufacturer, this expensive tax is borne directly by domestic 
consumers of electricity. The cost of the duty is passed on to the 
ratepayer through the state public utility commissions in ratemaking 
proceedings. In short, the consumer pays this unnecessary tax directly 
and entirely. There is no domestic manufacturing industry to protect 
and the consumer derives no benefit from this tax. Except for raising a 
minor amount of revenue for the Treasury, this is a classic case of a 
tariff that serves no purpose other than to raise costs for consumers.
  This tariff repeal legislation has enjoyed strong bipartisan support 
in both the House of Representatives and the other body. I ask my 
colleagues to join the effort again this year to eliminate this 
unneeded tariff by cosponsoring the Generator Tariff Suspension Act.

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