[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 8 (Monday, February 27, 2006)]
[Page 323]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 7981--To Modify Duty Free Treatment Under the Generalized 
System of Preferences

February 22, 2006

By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

    1. Section 502 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the ``1974 
Act'') (19 U.S.C. 2462), authorizes the President to designate countries 
as beneficiary developing countries, and to designate any beneficiary 
developing country as a least-developed beneficiary developing country, 
for purposes of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program.
    2. Pursuant to section 502 of the 1974 Act, and taking into account 
the factors set forth in section 502(c) (19 U.S.C. 2462(c)), I have 
determined that the suspension pursuant to Proclamation 6123 of April 
26, 1990, of preferential treatment for Liberia as a beneficiary 
developing country under the GSP should be ended.
    3. Pursuant to section 502 of the 1974 Act, and having considered 
the factors set forth in sections 501 (19 U.S.C. 2461) and 502(c), I 
have also determined that Liberia should be designated as a least-
developed beneficiary developing country for purposes of the GSP.
    4. Section 604 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2483), as amended, 
authorizes the President to embody in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule 
(HTS) of the United States the substance of relevant provisions of that 
Act, or other acts affecting import treatment, and of actions taken 
thereunder.
    Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of 
America, acting under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, including title V and section 
604 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2461-67, 2483), do proclaim that:
    (1) In order to reflect in the HTS the restoration of preferential 
treatment for Liberia as a beneficiary developing country under the GSP, 
general note 4(a) is modified by adding in alphabetical order 
``Liberia'' to the list entitled ``Independent Countries.''
    (2) In order to reflect in the HTS the designation of Liberia as a 
least-developed beneficiary developing country under the GSP, general 
note 4(b)(i) is modified by adding in alphabetical order ``Liberia.''
    (3) The modifications to the HTS made by paragraph 1 of this 
proclamation shall be effective with respect to articles entered, or 
withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 15 days after the 
date of this proclamation.
    (4) The modifications to the HTS made by paragraph 2 of this 
proclamation shall be effective with respect to articles entered, or 
withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 60 days after the 
date of this proclamation.
    (5) Any provisions of previous proclamations and Executive Orders 
that are inconsistent with the actions taken in this proclamation are 
superseded to the extent of such inconsistency.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second 
day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the 
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and 
thirtieth.
                                                George W. Bush

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., February 23, 
2006]

Note: This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on 
February 24.