[Federal Register: January 14, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 9)]
[Notices]               
[Page 2047]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14ja09-36]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

 
Notice of Allocation of Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQ) on the Import of 
Certain Cotton Woven Fabrics for Calendar Year 2009

AGENCY: Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration.

ACTION: Notice of allocation of 2009 cotton fabric tariff rate quota.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Department) has determined the 
allocation for Calendar Year 2009 of imports of certain cotton fabrics 
under tariff rate quotas established by Division B, Title IV of the Tax 
Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (Public Law No. 109-432). The 
companies that are being provided an allocation are listed below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laurie Mease, Office of Textiles and 
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

BACKGROUND:

    On December 20, 2006, President Bush signed into law the Tax Relief 
and Health Care Act of 2006 (Public Law No. 109-432) (``the Act``). 
Under Division C, Title IV, section 406(b)(1) of the Act, the Secretary 
of Commerce is required to allocate tariff rate quotas on the import of 
certain cotton woven fabrics through December 31, 2009. Section 
406(b)(1) authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to issue licenses to 
eligible manufacturers under headings 9902.52.08 through 9902.52.19 of 
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), specifying 
the restrictions under each such license on the quantity of cotton 
woven fabrics that may be entered each year on behalf of the 
manufacturer. Section 406(a)(1) of the Act created an annual tariff 
rate quota providing for temporary reductions through December 31, 2009 
in the import duties of cotton woven fabrics suitable for making cotton 
shirts (new HTS headings 9902.52.08, 9902.52.09, 9902.52.10, 
9902.52.11, 9902.52.12, 9902.52.13, 9902.52.14, 9902.52.15, 9902.52.16, 
9902.52.17, 9902.52.18, and 9902.52.19). Section 406(a)(2) provides 
that the reduction in duty is limited to 85 percent of the total square 
meter equivalents of all imported woven fabrics of cotton containing 85 
percent or more by weight cotton used by manufacturers in cutting and 
sewing men's and boys' cotton shirts in the United States and purchased 
by such manufacturers during calendar year 2000.
    The Act requires that the tariff rate quotas be allocated to 
persons or entities who, during calendar year 2000, were manufacturers 
cutting and sewing men's and boys' cotton shirts in the United States 
from imported woven fabrics of cotton containing 85 percent or more by 
weight of cotton of the kind described in HTS 9902.52.08 through 
9902.52.19 purchased by such manufacturer during calendar year 2000. On 
July 10, 2008, the Department published a final rule establishing 
procedures for allocating the TRQ (73 FR 39585, 15 CFR 336).
    On September 25, 2008 the Department published a notice in the 
Federal Register (73 FR 55500) soliciting applications for an 
allocation of the 2009 tariff rate quotas with a closing date of 
October 27, 2008. The Department received timely applications from 7 
firms. All applicants were determined eligible for an allocation. Most 
applicants submitted data on a business confidential basis. As 
allocations to firms were determined on the basis of this data, the 
Department considers individual firm allocations to be business 
confidential.

  FIRMS THAT RECEIVED ALLOCATIONS: HTS headings 9902.52.08, 9902.52.09,
 9902.52.10, 9902.52.11, 9902.52.12, 9902.52.13, 9902.52.14, 9902.52.15,
  9902.52.16, 9902.52.17, 9902.52.18, and 9902.52.19, woven fabrics of
     cotton containing 85 percent or more by weight cotton, used by
manufacturers in cutting and sewing men's and boys' cotton shirts in the
                             United States.
               Amount allocated: 3,116,090 square meters.



Companies Receiving Allocation:

  The Hancock Company, DBA Gitman & Company - Ashland, PA
  Individualized Shirt Company - Perth Amboy, NJ
  Kenneth Gordon/IAG, Inc. - Franklin, TN
  The Pickett Co., DBA Measure Up - Lafayette, TN
  Retail Brand Alliance - Enfield, CT
  Gambert Shirt - Newark, NJ
  Maus & Hoffman - Fort Lauderdale, FL



Dated: January 7, 2009.
Janet E. Heinzen,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles and Apparel.
[FR Doc. E9-627 Filed 1-13-09; 8:45 am]