[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 140 (Friday, October 28, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S12055]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Ms. SNOWE (for herself and Ms. Collins):
  S. 1938. A bill to redesignate the project for navigation, Saco 
River, Maine as an anchorage area; to the Committee on Environment and 
Public Works.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill for the 
City of Saco, ME that concerns the town's ability to allow the mooring 
of boats on the Saco River. The bill changes the turning basin into an 
anchorage while managing a 50 foot channel within the anchorage. The 
town was not aware that it was in violation because of 21 moorings 
located in the Saco River Federal Navigational Project. In an effort to 
eliminate this encroachment, city officials have requested a 
modification or deauthorization of the Federal Navigational Project to 
resolve the issue.
  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has suggested language that re-
designates the maneuvering basin into an anchorage area that will meet 
the needs of the community. The language, which I hope will be included 
in the Water Resources Development Act in this Congress, will allow for 
the legal moorage of boats, the fairway for which would be maintained 
by the City of Saco as is customary for towns with Federal anchorages. 
It is my understanding that the two mayors of the cities involved along 
with the Saco Yacht Club have agreed to the Corps' language.
      By Mr. WARNER:
  S. 1939. A bill to extend the suspension of duty on hexanedioic acid, 
polymer with 1,3-benzenedimethanamine; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill to extend 
the temporary duty suspension for imports of Nylon MXD6, hexanedioic 
acid, polymer with 1,3-benzenedimethanamine. This product, which is not 
manufactured in the United States at this time, serves as the favored 
option for food packaging and other multifunction packaging due to its 
tough, transparent properties.
  It is customary for the Congress every few years to consider 
relatively minor technical changes to certain trade proposals as one 
omnibus bill. The most recent of these bills was the Miscellaneous 
Trade and Technical Changes Act of 2004. For a proposal to be included 
in the legislation, the House Ways and Means Committee, Senate Finance 
Committee, and International Trade Commission all have to conclude that 
the proposal is noncontroversial. As one of the determining factors for 
a duty suspension request to be considered noncontroversial, no 
domestic production of the commodity may exist, or it may not be at a 
sufficient level to satisfy domestic demand.
  As I mentioned before, Nylon MXD6 is not produced in the United 
States, and as a result, a temporary duty suspension was awarded to 
imports of Nylon MXD6 under the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical 
Corrections Act of 2004. However, this suspension is due to expire on 
December 31, 2006. While this sunset may sound far from now, no 
domestic production is expected to exist by then nor is it expected to 
exist for a few years afterwards, causing uncertainty for future 
production.
  The current duty suspension for this import has been a key element in 
lowering the costs of domestic production of commodities containing 
Nylon MXD6. The bill I introduce today would extend the current 
suspension through December 31, 2008, which will provide manufacturers 
the certainty they need to plan for their future.
  In closing, I hope my colleagues in the Senate will join with me in 
support of this legislation.

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