[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 46 (Tuesday, April 23, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S3167]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WYDEN (for himself and Mr. Smith of Oregon):
  S. 2223. A bill to provide for the duty-free entry of certain tramway 
cars for use by the city of Portland, Oregon; to the Committee on 
Finance.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
extend an import duty suspension for the Central City Streetcar in the 
City of Portland, OR. The City of Portland purchases the streetcars 
from a manufacturer in the Czech Republic. Previous streetcar shipments 
were duty-free under legislation granting special status to the 
exporting nation, the Czech Republic. The City has ordered two new 
streetcars which will be shipped on May 1, 2002. However, that duty-
free exemption has expired, adding $130,000 to the price of these 
streetcars. This legislation will provide duty-free entry for those two 
streetcars ordered by the City of Portland, thus saving the City of 
Portland $130,000.
  I am pleased to be joined by my colleague from Oregon, Senator Smith, 
in introducing this bipartisan legislation to provide this duty 
suspension for the City of Portland's Central City Streetcar. I urge 
all my colleagues to support this legislation.
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