[Federal Register: April 18, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 74)]
[Notices]
[Page 19893-19894]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18ap06-74]
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
[Investigation No. 332-325]
The Economic Effects of Significant U.S. Import Restraints: Fifth
Update
AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.
ACTION: Notice of fifth update report and scheduling of public hearing.
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SUMMARY: The Commission has announced the schedule for its Fifth update
report in investigation No. 332-325, The Economic Effects of
Significant U.S. Import Restraints, and has established deadlines for
the submission of requests to appear at the hearing and for the filing
of written submissions as set forth below. The investigation was
requested by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in May
1992. That request called for an initial investigation and subsequent
updates, under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C.
1332(g)).
DATES: Effective Date: April 7, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Fox, Project Leader
alan.fox@usitc.gov, or 202-205-3267), or Sandra Rivera, Deputy Project
Leader (sandra.rivera@usitc.gov, or 202-205-3007) in the Commission's
Office of Economics. For information on the legal aspects of this
investigation, contact William Gearhart of the Office of the General
Counsel (william.gearhart@usitc.gov, or 202-205-3091). The media should
contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-
1819; margaret.olaughlin@usitc.gov).
Background: The Commission instituted this investigation following
receipt on May 15, 1992 of a request from the USTR. The request asked
that the Commission conduct an investigation assessing the quantitative
economic effects of significant U.S. import restraints on the U.S.
economy, and prepare periodic update reports following the submission
of the first report. The first report was delivered to the USTR in
November 1993, the first update in December 1995, the second update in
May 1999, the third update in June 2002, and the fourth update in June
2004.
In this fifth update, the Commission will assess the economic
effects of
[[Page 19894]]
significant tariff and non-tariff U.S. import restraints on U.S.
consumers, on the activities of U.S. firms, on the income and
employment of U.S. workers, and on the net economic welfare of the
United States. The assessment will not include import restraints
resulting from final antidumping or countervailing duty investigations,
section 337 and 406 investigations, or section 301 actions.
The initial notice of institution of this investigation was
published in the Federal Register of June 17, 1992 (57 FR 27063).
Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with the
investigation will be held at the U.S. International Trade Commission
Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on
July 13, 2006. All persons shall have the right to appear, by counsel
or in person, to present information and to be heard. Requests to
appear at the public hearing should be filed with the Secretary, U.S.
International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC
20436, no later than 5:15 p.m., June 2, 2006. Any prehearing briefs
(original and 14 copies) should be filed not later than the close of
business, June 8, 2006; the deadline for filing post-hearing briefs or
statements is the close of business, August 11, 2006. In the event
that, as of the close of business on June 2, 2006, no witnesses are
scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing will be canceled. Any
person interested in attending the hearing as an observer or non-
participant may call the Secretary to the Commission (202-205-2000)
after June 5, 2006, to determine whether the hearing will be held.
Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in
the hearing, interested parties are invited to submit written
statements concerning the matters to be addressed by the Commission in
its report on this investigation. To be assured of consideration by the
Commission, written statements relating to the Commission's report
should be submitted to the Commission at the earliest practical date
and should be received no later than 5:15 p.m., June 16, 2006. All
written submissions must conform with the provisions of section 201.8
of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8).
Section 201.8 of the rules requires that a signed original (or copy
designated as an original) and fourteen (14) copies of each document by
filed. In the event that confidential treatment of the document is
requested, at least four (4) additional copies must be filed, in which
the confidential business information must be deleted (see the
following paragraph for further information regarding confidential
business information). The Commission's rules do not authorize filing
submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or electronic means, except
to the extent permitted by section 201.8 of the rules (see Handbook for
Electronic Filing Procedures, http://hotdocs.usitc.gov/pubs/electronic_filing_handbook.pdf
). Persons with questions regarding
electronic filing should contact the Secretary (202-205-2000 or
edis@usitc.gov).
Any submissions that contain confidential business information must
also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's
Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the
rules requires that the cover of the document and the individual pages
be clearly marked as to whether they are the ``confidential'' or
``nonconfidential'' version, and that the confidential business
information be clearly identified by means of brackets. All written
submissions, except for confidential business information, will be made
available in the Office of the Secretary for inspection by interested
parties.
USTR requested that all reports in this series be released in their
entirety to the public. Accordingly, the Commission intends to prepare
only a public report in this investigation. The report that the
Commission sends to the USTR and make available to the public will not
contain confidential business information. Any confidential business
information received by the Commission in this investigation and used
in preparing the report will not be published in a manner that would
reveal the operations of the firm supplying the information.
Hearing-impaired persons are advised that information on this
matter can be obtained by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal on
(202) 205-1810. Persons with mobility impairments who will need special
assistance in gaining access to the Commission should contact the
Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000. General information concerning
the Commission may be obtained by accessing its Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov
). The public record for this investigation may be viewed
on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov.
List of Subjects
U.S. Import Restraints, Nontariff measures (NTM), Tariffs, Imports.
Issued: April 12, 2006.
By order of the Commission.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. E6-5787 Filed 4-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P