Details of the Senate-Passed Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act

Senator's "Hold" is Preventing House-Senate Conference

As the House and Senate have passed different versions of H.R. 1047, the next step would normally be a House-Senate conference to resolve differences between the two versions of the bill.

However, Congressional sources state that a Senator has placed a "hold" on the Senate's version of H.R. 1047 which prevents a House-Senate conference from being convened.

Congressional sources note that if this "hold" can be lifted, the Senate is expected to request a conference with the House to resolve the differences in their two versions of H.R. 1047. If resolved in this manner, each body would then pass the conference version of H.R. 1047, which would then be sent to the President for enactment.

This is Part XI of a multi-part series of summaries on the Senate-passed version of H.R. 1047 (H.R. 1047) and covers the remaining textile-specific technical corrections. See future issues for additional summaries on H.R. 1047.

Retroactive Duty- and Quota-Free Treatment for Certain CBTPA and AGOA Apparel Entries

H.R. 1047 contains a provision that would require CBP to liquidate or reliquidate as duty- and quota-free entries made on or after October 1, 2000 (the implementation date of the U.S.-Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) and the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)) for:

CBTPA apparel, except socks. Entries of apparel articles, other than socks classifiable in HTS 6111 or 6115, that meet the requirements of CBTPA for duty- and quota-free preferential treatment (19 USC 2703(b)(2)(A), as amended by the Trade Act of 2002 and H.R. 1047's technical amendments); and

AGOA apparel. Entries of apparel articles that meet the requirements of AGOA for duty- and quota-free treatment (19 USC 3721(b), as amended by the Trade Act of 2002 and H.R. 1047's technical amendments).

According to H.R. 1047, liquidation or reliquidation may be made with respect to an entry only if a request is filed with CBP within 90 days after the date of enactment and the request contains sufficient information to enable CBP to locate the entry or reconstruct the entry if it cannot be located. H.R. 1047 further states that any amounts owed by the U.S. pursuant to this liquidation or reliquidation shall be paid within 180 days of the date of such liquidation or reliquidation.

AGOA Definition of Fabric

H.R. 1047 would amend AGOA Section 112(e) (19 USC 3721(e)) in order to define fabric. As defined in H.R. 1047, the term fabric would include knit fabric components formed as components other than components considered as major parts.

Worsted Wool Fabric Manufacturer Trust Fund

H.R. 1047 would amend Section 5102 of the Trade Act of 2002 in order to establish a "Worsted Wool Fabric Manufacturer Trust Fund" of not more than $32 million which would provide grants to manufacturers of worsted wool fabric to assist such manufacturers in maximizing U.S. employment in the production of textile products, and meeting the manufacturers' obligations to their U.S. workers, former workers, and retirees in the textile sector.

(See ITT's Online Archives or 03/11/04, 03/12/04, 03/18/04, 03/19/04, 03/24/04, 04/01/04, 04/02/04, 04/05/04, 04/06/04, and 04/16/04 news, 04031105, 04031215, 04031820, 04031910, 04032415, 04040115, 04040205, 04040520, 04040620, and 04041625, for Parts I-X of this series of summaries on the Senate-passed version of H.R. 1047.)

Senate-passed version of H.R. 1047 available at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills&docid=f:h1047eas.txt.pdf.