[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 185 (Monday, September 24, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48333-48334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-20657]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-565]


American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act: Effects of Temporary 
Duty Suspensions and Reductions on the U.S. Economy Proposed 
Information Collection; Comment Request; and MTB Effects Questionnaire

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) 
hereby gives notice that it plans to submit a request for approval of a 
questionnaire to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review 
and requests public comment on its draft proposed collection.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before November 23, 2018.

ADDRESSES: The project leader for this investigation is Kimberlie 
Freund. Please direct all written comments to [email protected] or 
via U.S. mail at U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20436.
    Additional Information: Copies of the draft questionnaire and other 
supplementary documents may be downloaded from the USITC website at 
https://www.usitc.gov/MTBEffects. For any questions about this notice, 
email [email protected] or call the project leader for this 
investigation, Kimberlie Freund (202-708-5402). 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 website 
(http://www.usitc.gov).
    Purpose of Information Collection: The information requested by the 
questionnaire is for use by the Commission in connection with preparing 
the report required by section 4 of the American Manufacturing 
Competitiveness Act of 2016 (AMCA), 19 U.S.C. 1332 note. The Commission 
is instituting Investigation No. 332-565, American Manufacturing 
Competitiveness Act: Effects of Temporary Duty Suspensions and 
Reductions on the U.S. Economy, for the purpose of preparing this 
report. Section 4 of the AMCA requires the Commission, upon enactment 
of a miscellaneous tariff bill, to prepare and submit to the House 
Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Finance 
(hereinafter Committees) a report on the effects on the U.S. economy of 
duty suspensions and reductions enacted pursuant to the AMCA, including 
a broad assessment of the economic effects of such duty suspensions and 
reductions on producers, purchasers, and consumers in the United 
States, using case studies describing such effects on selected 
industries or by type of article as available data permit. The AMCA 
also requires the Commission to solicit and append to the report 
recommendations with respect to those domestic industry sectors or 
specific domestic industries that might benefit from permanent duty 
suspensions and reductions, either through a unilateral action of the 
United States or through negotiations for reciprocal tariff agreements, 
with a particular focus on inequities created by tariff inversions. As 
part of any such assessment, the Commission intends to survey U.S. 
firms that have successfully petitioned for duty suspensions and 
reductions and those commenting on their petitions about the effects of 
these duty suspensions and reductions on U.S. firms. The AMCA requires 
the Commission to submit its report 12 months after enactment of a 
miscellaneous tariff bill.

Summary of Proposal

    (1) Number of forms submitted: 1.
    (2) Title of form: American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act: 
Effects of Temporary Duty Suspensions and Reductions on the U.S. 
Economy.
    (3) Type of request: New.
    (4) Frequency of use: Industry questionnaire, single data 
gathering.
    (5) Description of respondents: Members of the public who filed 
petitions with respect to products that are the subject of a 
miscellaneous tariff bill, as well as members of the public who 
commented on the petitions filed.
    (6) Estimated number of respondents: 750.
    (7) Estimated total number of hours to complete the questionnaire 
per respondent: 2 hours.
    (8) Information obtained from the questionnaire that qualifies as 
confidential business information will be so treated by the Commission 
and not disclosed in a manner that would reveal the individual 
operations of a firm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    Section 4 of the AMCA directs the Commission to submit to the House 
Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Finance ``a 
report on the effects on the United States economy of duty suspensions 
and reductions enacted pursuant to this Act including a broad 
assessment of the economic effects of such duty suspensions and 
reductions on producers, purchasers and consumers in the United States 
using case studies describing such effects on selected industries or by 
type of article as available data permit.'' The AMCA also directs the 
Commission to solicit and include in the report ``recommendations with 
respect to those domestic industry sectors or specific domestic 
industries that might benefit from permanent duty suspensions and 
reductions, either through a unilateral action of the United States or 
[through] negotiations for reciprocal tariff agreements, with a 
particular focus on inequities created by tariff inversions.'' The 
questionnaire will collect information in response to these elements.

II. Method of Collection

    Respondents will be mailed a letter with a link and individual code 
for accessing the online form. Respondents may also request a fillable 
form. Once the online form is complete, respondents will be directed to 
submit the form by selecting a submit button.

[[Page 48334]]

When respondents complete a fillable form, they may submit it by 
uploading it to a secure webserver, emailing it to the study team at 
[email protected], faxing it, or mailing a hard copy to the 
Commission.

III. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on (1) whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of 
the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of 
information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on respondents, including through the use 
of automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    The draft questionnaire and other supplementary documents may be 
downloaded from the USITC website at https://www.usitc.gov/MTBEffects.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they will also become a matter of public record.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: September 18, 2018.
Lisa Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2018-20657 Filed 9-21-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P