The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) will hold a public hearing in connection with its general factfinding investigation concerning U.S. Market Conditions for Certain Wool Articles on Thursday, May 31, 2001. The hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Main Hearing Room, ITC Building, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC.

The ITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, is conducting the investigation at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The Commission will submit its first report in this investigation to the USTR by September 17, 2001.

Further information about this investigation is available on the ITC's Internet site at www.usitc.gov. Users are referred to a Federal Register notice (posted under "Official Notices" in the Information Center section) and a news release (posted under "News Releases" in the Information Center section) issued on February 14, 2001. The witness list is expected to be available by Wednesday, May 30, 2001; when available, it will be posted in the "This Week" section of the Internet site.

ITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Senate Committee on Finance, or the House Committee on Ways and Means. The resulting reports convey the Commission's objective findings and independent analyses on the subjects investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the ITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigation reports are subsequently released to the public unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.

ITC hearings are open to the media and the public. Due to building security requirements, broadcast media planning to cover this hearing are asked to contact Peg O'Laughlin at 202-205-1819 in advance.

     EVENT:      Public hearing in connection with ITC factfinding investigation U.S. Market
                 Conditions for Certain Wool Articles

     TIME/DATE:  9:30 a.m., Thursday, May 31, 2001

     PLACE:      Main Hearing Room, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC

     CONTACT:    Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819