[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 202 (Friday, October 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61905-61907]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24607]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation 332-325]


The Economic Effects of Significant U.S. Import Restraints: Sixth 
Update

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice of sixth update report and scheduling of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the schedule and scope of the 
Commission's sixth update report in investigation No. 332-325, The 
Economic Effects of Significant U.S. Import Restraints, including the 
expansion in scope to include a summary of the major steps and results 
of U.S. trade liberalizing efforts since 1934 and effects of 
liberalization as reported in the economic literature, as requested in 
the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) letter received on August 22, 
2008. This series of reports was originally requested in a letter from 
the USTR dated May 15, 1992.

DATES: December 2, 2008: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the 
public hearing.
    December 11, 2008: Deadline for filing pre-hearing briefs and 
statements.
    January 8, 2009: Public hearing.
    February 6, 2009: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and 
statements.
    August 20, 2009: Transmittal of Commission report to USTR.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing 
rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions 
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade 
Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436. The public record 
for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic 
docket (EDIS) at http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Deese, Project Leader 
([email protected] or 202-205-2626) or Kyle Johnson, Deputy 
Project Leader ([email protected] or 202-205-3229) for information 
specific to this sixth update report. For information on the legal 
aspects of this investigation, contact William Gearhart of the 
Commission's Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or 
[email protected]). The media should contact Margaret 
O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-1819 or 
[email protected]). Hearing-impaired individuals may obtain 
information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal 
at 202-205-1810. General information concerning the Commission may also 
be obtained by accessing its Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov). 
Persons with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in 
gaining access to the Commission should contact the Office of the 
Secretary at 202-205-2000.
    Background: The Commission instituted this investigation under 
section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)) following 
receipt on May 15, 1992 of a request from the USTR. The request asked 
that the Commission conduct an investigation assessing the quantitative 
economic effects of significant U.S. import restraints on the U.S. 
economy and prepare periodic update reports after the initial report. 
The Commission published a notice of institution of the investigation 
in the Federal Register of June 17, 1992 (57 FR 27063). The first 
report was delivered to the USTR in November 1993, the first update in 
December 1995, the second update in May 1999, the third update in June 
2002, the fourth update in June 2004, and the fifth update in February 
2007.
    As requested by the USTR in a letter received on August 22, 2008, 
the Commission in this sixth update will include a summary of the major 
steps and results of U.S. trade liberalizing efforts since 1934 and the 
effects of liberalization as reported in the economic literature. The 
USTR asked that the summary be accessible to readers who may not be 
professional economists. As in previous reports in this series, the 
sixth update will continue to assess the economic effects of 
significant import restraints on U.S. consumers and firms, the income 
and employment of U.S. workers, and the net economic welfare of the 
United States. This assessment will use the Commission's computable 
general equilibrium model. However, as per earlier instructions from 
the USTR, the Commission will not assess import restraints resulting 
from antidumping or countervailing duty investigations, section 337 and 
406 investigations, or section 301 actions.
    Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with this 
investigation will be held beginning at 9:30 a.m. on January 8, 2009, 
at the United States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., 
Washington DC. Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed with 
the Secretary no later than 5:15 p.m., December 2, 2008, in accordance 
with the requirements in the ``Written Submissions'' section below. In 
the event that, as of the close of business on December 2, 2008, no 
witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing will be 
canceled. Any person interested in attending the hearing as an observer 
or non-participant may call the Secretary to the Commission (202-205-
2000) after December 2, 2008 to determine whether the hearing will be 
held.
    Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in 
the hearing, interested parties are invited to submit written 
statements or briefs concerning this investigation. All written 
submissions, including requests to appear at the hearing, statements, 
and briefs, should be addressed to the Secretary. Any pre-hearing 
statements or briefs should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., December 
11, 2008; and post-hearing statements and briefs and all other written 
submissions should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., February 6, 2009. 
All written submissions must conform with the provisions of section 
201.8 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 
201.8). Section 201.8 of the rules requires that a signed original (or 
a copy designated as an original) and fourteen (14) copies of each 
document be filed. In the event that confidential treatment of the 
document is requested, at least four (4) additional copies must be 
filed, in which the confidential information must be deleted (see the 
following paragraph for further information regarding confidential 
business information). The Commission's rules do not authorize filing 
submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or electronic means, except 
to the extent permitted by section 201.8 of the rules (see Handbook for 
Electronic Filing Procedures, http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/fed_reg_notices/rules/documents/handbook_on_electronic_filing.pdf ; persons 
with questions regarding electronic filing should contact the Secretary 
at 202-205-2000. Any submissions that contain confidential business 
information must also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of 
the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). 
Section 201.6 of the rules requires that the cover of the document and 
the individual pages be clearly marked as to whether they are the 
``confidential'' or ``non-confidential'' version, and that the 
confidential business information be clearly identified by means of 
brackets. All written submissions, except for confidential business 
information, will be made available in the Office of the Secretary to 
the Commission for inspection by interested parties.
    The USTR stated that her office intends to make the Commission's 
report in this investigation available to the public in its entirety 
and asked that the Commission not include any confidential business or 
national security information in this report. Consequently, the report 
that the Commission sends to the USTR will not contain any such 
information. Any

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confidential business information received by the Commission in this 
investigation and used in preparing its report will not be published in 
a manner that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the 
information.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: October 10, 2008.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
 [FR Doc. E8-24607 Filed 10-16-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P