    [United States Government Manual]
    [June 01, 2000]
    [Pages 549-553]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

    500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436

    Phone, 202-205-2000. Internet, www.usitc.gov.
    Chairman                                          Lynn M. Bragg
    Vice Chairman                                     Marcia E. Miller
    Commissioners                                     Jennifer A. Hillman,
                                                              Stephen
                                                              Koplan, Thelma
                                                              J. Askey,
                                                              Deanna Tanner
                                                              Okun
    Administrative Law Judges                         Sidney Harris, Paul J.
                                                              Luckern, Debra
                                                              Morriss
    Director, Office of Administration                Stephen McLaughlin
    Director, Office of Economics                     Robert B. Koopman
    Director, Office of External Relations            Daniel F. Leahy
        Congressional Relations Officer               Nancy M. Carman
        Public Affairs Officer                        Margaret M. O'Laughlin
        Trade Remedy Assistance Program               John J. Greer
                Manager
    Director, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity  Jacqueline A. Waters
    Director, Office of Information Services          Martin Smith
    Director, Office of Industries                    M. Vern Simpson, Jr.
        Division Chief, Agriculture and               Cathy L. Jabara
                Forest Products
        Division Chief, Minerals, Metals,             Larry L. Brookhart
                Machinery, and Miscellaneous
                Manufactures
        Division Chief, Energy, Chemicals,            John J. Gersic
                and Textiles
        Division Chief, Electronics and               Norman McLennan
                Transportation
        Division Chief, Services and                  Richard W. Brown
                Investment
    Director, Office of Investigations                Lynn Featherstone
    Director, Office of Operations                    Robert Rogowsky
    Director, Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade      Eugene A. Rosengarden
            Agreements
    Director, Office of Unfair Import Investigations  Lynn Levine
    General Counsel                                   Lyn M. Schlitt
    Inspector General                                 Dev Jagadesan,Acting
    Secretary                                         Donna R. Koehnke

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    The United States International Trade Commission furnishes studies,
    reports, and recommendations involving international trade and tariffs
    to the President, the U.S. Trade Representative, and congressional
    committees. The Commission also conducts a variety of investigations
    pertaining to international trade relief.

    The United States International Trade Commission is an independent
    agency created by act of September 8, 1916 (39 Stat. 795), and
    originally named the United States Tariff Commission. The name was
    changed to the United States International Trade Commission by section
    171 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2231).
        Six Commissioners are appointed by the President with the advice and
    consent of the Senate for 9-year terms,

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    T186873.067

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    unless appointed to fill an unexpired term. The Chairman and Vice
    Chairman are designated by the President for 2-year terms, and
    succeeding Chairmen may not be of the same political party. The Chairman
    generally is responsible for the administration of the Commission. Not
    more than three Commissioners may be members of the same political party
    (19 U.S.C. 1330).

    Activities

    The Commission performs a number of functions pursuant to the statutes
    referred to above. Under the Tariff Act of 1930, the Commission is given
    broad powers of investigation relating to the customslaws of the United
    States and foreign countries; the volume of importation in comparison
    with domestic production and consumption; the conditions, causes, and
    effects relating to competition of foreign industries with those of the
    United States; and all other factors affecting competition between
    articles of the United States and imported articles. The Commission is
    required to make available to the President and to the Committee on Ways
    and Means of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on
    Finance of the Senate, whenever requested, all information at its
    command and is directed to make such investigations and reports as may
    be requested by the President or by either of said committees or by
    either branch of the Congress.
        In order to carry out these responsibilities, the Commission is
    required to engage in extensive research, conduct specialized studies,
    and maintain a high degree of expertise in all matters relating to the
    commercial and international trade policies of the United States.
    Imported Articles Subsidized or Sold at Less Than Fair Value  The
    Commission conducts preliminary-phase investigations to determine
    whether imports of foreign merchandise allegedly being subsidized or
    sold at less than fair value may pose a threat to an industry in the
    United States. If the Commission's determination is affirmative, and the
    Secretary of Commerce determines there is reason to believe or suspect
    such unfair practices are occurring, then the Commission conducts final-
    phase investigations to determine the potential threat to an industry
    because of such imports.
        If the Secretary of Commerce determines to suspend an investigation
    upon acceptance of an agreement to terminate such imports, the
    Commission may conduct an investigation to determine whether the
    agreement completely eliminates the threat. The Commission also conducts
    investigations to determine whether revocation or modification of
    existing agreements due to changed circumstances would pose new threat.
    Unfair Practices in Import Trade  The Commission applies U.S. statutory
    and common law of unfair competition to the importation of products into
    the United States and their sale. If the Commission determines that
    there is a violation of law, it is to direct that the articles involved
    be excluded from entry into the United States, or it may issue cease-
    and-desist orders directing the person engaged in such violation to
    cease and desist from engaging in such unfair methods or acts.
    Trade Negotiations  The Commission advises the President as to the
    probable economic effect on the domestic industry and consumers of
    modification of duties and other barriers to trade that may be
    considered for inclusion in any proposed trade agreement with foreign
    countries.
    Generalized System of Preferences  The Commission advises the President
    with respect to every article that may be considered for preferential
    removal of the duty on imports from designated developing countries as
    to the probable economic effect the preferential removal of duty will
    have on the domestic industry and on consumers.
    Industry Adjustment to Import Competition (Global Safeguard Actions)
    The Commission conducts investigations upon petition on behalf of an
    industry, a firm, a group of workers, or other entity representative of
    an industry to

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    determine whether an article is being imported in such increased
    quantities as to pose a threat to the domestic industry producing an
    article like or directly competitive with the imported article. If the
    Commission's finding is affirmative, it recommends to the President the
    action that would address such a threat and be most effective in
    facilitating positive adjustment by the industry to import competition.
        The Commission reports with respect to developments within an
    industry that has been granted import relief and advises the President
    of the probable economic effect of the reduction or elimination of the
    tariff increase that has been granted. The President may continue,
    modify, or terminate the import relief previously granted.
    Imports From NAFTA Countries (Bilateral Safeguard Actions)  The
    Commission conducts investigations to determine whether, as a result of
    the reduction or elimination of a duty provided for under the North
    American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a Canadian article or a Mexican
    article, as the case may be, is being imported into the United States in
    such increased quantities and under such conditions so that imports of
    the article constitute a substantial cause of serious injury or (except
    in the case of a Canadian article) a threat of serious injury to the
    domestic industry producing an article that is like or directly
    competitive with the imported article. If the Commission's determination
    is in the affirmative, the Commission recommends to the President the
    relief which is necessary to prevent or remedy serious injury.
    Commission investigations under these provisions are similar
    procedurally to those conducted under the global safeguard action
    provisions.
    Market Disruption From Communist Countries  The Commission conducts
    investigations to determine whether increased imports of an article
    produced in a Communist country are causing market disruption in the
    United States. If the Commission's determination is in the affirmative,
    the President may take the same action as in the case of serious injury
    to an industry, except that the action would apply only to imports of
    the article from the Communist country. Commission investigations
    conducted under this provision are similar procedurally to those
    conducted under the global safeguard action provisions.
    Import Interference With Agricultural Programs  The Commission conducts
    investigations, at the direction of the President, to determine whether
    any articles are being or are practically certain to be imported into
    the United States under such conditions and in such quantities as to
    render or tend to render ineffective or to materially interfere with
    programs of the Department of Agriculture for agricultural commodities
    or products thereof, or to substantially reduce the amount of any
    product processed in the United States from such commodities or
    products, and makes findings and recommendations. The President may
    restrict the imports in question by imposition of either import fees or
    quotas. Such fees or quotas may be applied only against countries that
    are not members of the World Trade Organization.
    Uniform Statistical Data  The Commission, in cooperation with the
    Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Commerce, establishes for
    statistical purposes an enumeration of articles imported into the United
    States and exported from the United States, and seeks to establish
    comparability of such statistics with statistical programs for domestic
    production.
    Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, Annotated  The
    Commission issues a publication containing the U.S. tariff schedules and
    related matters and considers questions concerning the arrangement of
    such schedules and the classification of articles.
    International Trade Studies  The Commission conducts studies,
    investigations, and research projects on a broad range of topics
    relating to international trade, pursuant to requests of the President,
    the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, either
    branch of the

    [[Page 553]]

    Congress, or on its own motion. Public reports of these studies,
    investigations, and research projects are issued in most cases.
        The Commission also keeps informed of the operation and effect of
    provisions relating to duties or other import restrictions of the United
    States contained in various trade agreements. Occasionally the
    Commission is required by statute to perform specific trade-related
    studies.
    Industry and Trade Summaries  The Commission prepares and publishes a
    series of summaries of trade and tariff information. These summaries
    contain descriptions (in terms of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
    United States) of the thousands of products imported into the United
    States, methods of production, and the extent and relative importance of
    U.S. consumption, production, and trade, together with certain basic
    factors affecting the competitive position and economic health of
    domestic industries.

    Sources of Information

    Inquiries should be directed to the specific organizational unit or to
    the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500 E
    Street SW., Washington, DC 20436. Phone, 202-205-2000.
    Contracts  The Procurement Executive has responsibility for contract
    matters. Phone, 202-205-2722.
    Electronic Access  Commission publications, news releases, Federal
    Register notices, scheduling information, the Commission's interactive
    Trade and Tariff DataWeb, and general information about ITC are
    available for electronic access. Investigation-related public inspection
    files are available through the Electronic Document Imaging System
    (EDIS). Internet, www.usitc.gov.
    Employment  Information on employment can be obtained from the Director,
    Office of Personnel. The agency employs international economists,
    attorneys, accountants, commodity and industry specialists and analysts,
    and clerical and other support personnel. Phone, 202-205-2651.
    Publications  The Commission publishes results of investigations
    concerning various commodities and subjects. Other publications include
    Industry and Trade Summaries, an annual report to the Congress on the
    operation of the trade agreements program; and an annual report to the
    Congress of Commission activities. Specific information regarding these
    publications can be obtained from the Office of the Secretary.
    Reading Rooms  Reading rooms are open to the public in the Office of the
    Secretary and in the ITC National Library of International Trade and the
    ITC law library.

    For further information, contact the Secretary, United States
    International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436.
    Phone, 202-205-2000. Internet, www.usitc.gov.

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