[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 187 (Thursday, September 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 55500]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-22576]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Notice of Solicitation of Applications for Allocation of Tariff 
Rate Quotas on the Imports of Certain Cotton Shirting Fabric to Persons 
Who Cut and Sew Men's and Boys' Cotton Shirts in the United States

AGENCY: Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration.

ACTION: The Department of Commerce (``Department'') is soliciting 
applications for an allocation of the 2009 tariff rate quotas on 
certain cotton woven fabric to persons who cut and sew men's and boys' 
cotton shirts in the United States.

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SUMMARY: The Department hereby solicits applications from persons 
(including firms, corporations, or other legal entities) who cut and 
sew men's and boys' cotton shirts in the United States for an 
allocation of the 2009 tariff rate quotas on certain cotton woven 
fabric. Interested persons must submit an application on the form 
provided to the address listed below by October 27, 2008. The 
Department will cause to be published in the Federal Register its 
determination to allocate the 2009 tariff rate quotas, will notify 
applicants of their respective allocation, and will issue licenses to 
eligible applicants within 60 days of that date.

DATES: To be considered, applications must be received or postmarked by 
5 p.m. on October 27, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted to the Office of Textiles and 
Apparel, Room 3100, United States Department of Commerce, 1401 
Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20230 (telephone: (202) 482-3400). 
Application forms may be obtained from that office (via facsimile or 
mail) or from the following Internet address: http://web.ita.doc.gov/tacgi/cottontrq.nsf/TRQApp.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laurie Mease, Office of Textiles and 
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On December 9, 2006, President Bush signed into law the Tax Relief 
and Health Care Act of 2006 (HR 6406/HR 6111) (``the Act''). Section 
406(b)(1) of the Act requires the Secretary of Commerce to fairly 
allocate tariff rate quotas on the import of certain cotton woven 
fabrics through December 31, 2009. Section 406 (b)(1) authorizes the 
Secretary of Commerce to issue licenses to eligible manufacturers under 
headings 9902.52.08 through 9902.52.19 of the Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule of the United States, specifying the restrictions under each 
such license on the quantity of cotton woven fabrics that may be 
entered each year on behalf of the manufacturer. The Act created an 
annual tariff rate quota providing for temporary reductions through 
December 31, 2009 in the import duties of cotton woven fabrics suitable 
for making cotton shirts (new Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
States (``HTS'') headings 9902.52.08, 9902.52.09, 9902.52.10, 
9902.52.11, 9902.52.12, 9902.52.13, 9902.52.14, 9902.52.15, 9902.52.16, 
9902.52.17, 9902.52.18, and 9902.52.19). The reduction in duty is 
limited to 85 percent of the total square meter equivalents of all 
imported woven fabrics of cotton containing 85 percent or more by 
weight cotton used by manufacturers in cutting and sewing men's and 
boys' cotton shirts in the United States and purchased by such 
manufacturer during calendar year 2000.
    The Act requires that the tariff rate quotas be allocated to 
persons (including firms, corporations, or other legal entities) who, 
during calendar year 2000, were manufacturers cutting and sewing men's 
and boys' cotton shirts in the United States from imported woven 
fabrics of cotton containing 85 percent or more by weight cotton of the 
kind described in HTS 9902.52.08 through 9902.52.19 purchased by such 
manufacturer during calendar year 2000. On July 10, 2008, the 
Department published a final rule establishing procedures for 
allocating the tariff rate quota. See Imports of Certain Cotton 
Shirting Fabric: Implementation of Tariff Rate Quota Established Under 
the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, 73 FR 39585 (July 10, 
2008), 15 CFR 336. In order to be eligible for an allocation, an 
applicant must submit an application on the form provided at http://web.ita.doc.gov/tacgi/cotton.nsf/TRQApp to the address listed above by 
5 p.m. on October 27, 2008 in compliance with the requirements of 15 
CFR 336. Any business confidential information that is marked business 
confidential will be kept confidential and protected from disclosure to 
the full extent permitted by law.

Dated: September 22, 2008.
R. Matthew Priest,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles and Apparel.
[FR Doc. E8-22576 Filed 9-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S