[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 40 (Friday, April 12, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND THE U.S. IMPORT DUTY 
                   ON CERTAIN EPOXY MOLDING COMPOUNDS

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                        HON. DONALD A. MANZULLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 11, 2002

  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer legislation that 
would suspend temporarily, through December 31, 2005, the rate of duty 
applicable to imports into the United States of certain epoxy molding 
compounds. These materials are used for encapsulating, or coating, 
integrated circuits that feed into various electronics applications.
  While it is possible that there are U.S. companies that make some 
kinds of epoxy molding compounds in the United States, my understanding 
is that there are no domestic sources of the exact compounds intended 
to be addressed through my legislation. I further understand that the 
only qualified manufacturers of the required materials are outside the 
United States.
  Because there is no substitute domestically manufactured product 
currently benefiting from the present 6.1 percent duty rate on these 
products, no adverse impact on a domestic producer or industry is 
anticipated should my legislation be enacted. At the same time, I know 
its enactment would be beneficial to some hard working folks in the 
16th District of Illinois. It makes no sense to impose an import duty 
on a product where there is no domestic manufacturer. I therefore urge 
my colleagues to support inclusion of this legislation into the 
Miscellaneous Tariff Correction bill to be moved later this year.

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