Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
According to the Washington File, Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana has blocked Senate vote on U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) nominee Rob Portman until a vote is scheduled for his bill, the Stopping Overseas Subsidies (SOS) Act, which is aimed at countering unfair countervailing subsidies in non-market economies, especially China. (Washington File Pub 04/13/05, available at http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2005&m=April&x=20050413113532ebyessedo0.4256555&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html)
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1. Senator Blocks Vote on USTR Nominee Over Bill to Counter CV Subsidies in Non-Market Economies
2. U.S. Trade Deficit Tops a Record $61 Billion in February 2005
The Washington File reports that the U.S. trade deficit increased 4.3% in February 2005 to a new record high, as oil prices soared and a range of imports increased such as pharmaceuticals and cotton clothing. The article notes that textile and apparel shipments from China went up nearly 10% in February following an even bigger gain in January after the decades-old global quota system expired. (Washington File Pub 04/12/05, available athttp://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2005&m=April&x=20050112130234ebyessedo0.6893274&t=xarchives/xarchitem.html)
3. Corporations Received $284.1 Million in Byrd Amendment Payouts in 2004
An editorial in The Wall Street Journal opines that under the Byrd Amendment, antidumping suits have become a kind of self-perpetuating payola, as U.S. businesses winning antidumping complaints actually win twice - they benefit both from the higher prices they can charge for their goods and from the antidumping tariffs paid by foreign competition that they collect. The editorial notes that the total corporate take from the Byrd Amendment during 2001 - 2004 was $1.04 billion. In addition, U.S. exports to Canada and Europe will soon be hit with 15% tariffs in WTO-approved retaliation against the Byrd Amendment. (WSJ, dated 04/06/05, www.wsj.com )
4. TSA Aviation Security Committee to Hold Public Teleconference
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued a notice announcing that its Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC) will hold a public teleconference on April 28, 2005 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., EDT. (D/N TSA-2005-20937, FR Pub 04/13/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-7391.pdf)
5. DHS' Homeland Security Advisory Council to Hold Public Teleconference
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a notice announcing that its Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) will hold a public teleconference for the purposes of receiving reports and recommendations from an HSAC working group and task force, and holding member deliberations. The teleconference will be held on April 28, 2005 at 3:05 p.m., EDT. (D/N DHS-2005-0031, FR Pub 04/13/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-7403.pdf)
6. ITA Issues Technical Correction to its Notice on New Policies for AD Investigations Involving NMEs
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice which makes a technical correction to its April 5, 2005 Federal Register notice announcing certain new policies for AD investigations involving non-market economy countries (NMEs). The ITA now states that the effective date of this notice is April 5, 2005 (rather than March 5, 2005). (See ITT's Online Archives or 04/11/05 news, 05041110, for BP summary of the ITA's new policies, which correctly reflects the April 5, 2005 effective date.) (FR Pub 04/14/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/Z5-1541.pdf )