[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12109]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, today the U.S. International Trade 
Commission, or the USITC, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. That 
makes today an appropriate day for us to acknowledge the distinguished 
service that this independent and nonpartisan Federal agency has 
provided, and continues to provide, in the field of international 
trade.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I concur with Senator Hatch and also 
congratulate the USITC on its centennial and commend the agency for its 
service over the last century.
  Established by the Congress as the U.S. Tariff Commission on 
September 8, 1916, the agency was reconfigured and redesignated as the 
USITC by the Trade Act of 1974. As mandated by Congress, the USITC 
performs three principal functions: No. 1, fairly and objectively 
administer U.S. trade remedy laws within its mandate; No. 2, provide 
the Congress, the President, and the United States Trade Representative 
with independent analysis, information, and support concerning matters 
related to international trade, tariffs, and U.S. competitiveness; and 
No. 3 maintain the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.
  By successfully executing these functions, the USITC performs a 
valuable service to the U.S. Government and the American people. Those 
of us in Congress particularly appreciate the highly technical data and 
analyses that the USITC provides to help inform our formulation of U.S. 
trade policy.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, of course, the core of the USITC's success 
derives from the agency's people. For decades now, the impressive and 
skilled commissioners and staff at the USITC have driven the agency's 
success. We congratulate the USITC for reaching this centennial 
milestone and for accomplishing a well-deserved tenure of valuable and 
professional service.

                          ____________________