In the Matter of: )

)

CERTAIN DUCTILE IRON ) Investigation No.:

WATERWORKS FITTINGS ) TA-421-4

FROM CHINA ) (Remedy)

Pages:	1 through 8

Place:	Washington, D.C.

Date:	December 15, 2003

THE UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

In the Matter of: )

)

CERTAIN DUCTILE IRON ) Investigation No.:

WATERWORKS FITTINGS ) TA-421-4

FROM CHINA ) (Remedy)

Monday,

December 15, 2003

Room 101

U.S. International Trade Commission

500 E Street, SW

Washington, D.C.

The commission meeting commenced, pursuant to

notice, at 11:03 a.m., before the Commissioners of the

United States International Trade Commission, the

Honorable DEANNA TANNER OKUN, Chairman, presiding.

APPEARANCES:

On behalf of the International Trade Commission:

Commissioners:

DEANNA TANNER OKUN, CHAIRMAN (presiding)

JENNIFER A. HILLMAN, VICE CHAIRMAN

MARCIA E. MILLER, COMMISSIONER

STEPHEN KOPLAN, COMMISSIONER

CHARLOTTE R. LANE, COMMISSIONER

DANIEL R. PEARSON, COMMISSIONER

APPEARANCES (continued):

WILLIAM R. BISHOP, ACTING SECRETARY TO THE

COMMISSION

Staff:

FRED RUGGLES, INVESTIGATOR

DAVID BOYLAND, ACCOUNTANT

JOHN BENEDETTO, ECONOMIST

WILLIAM GEARHART, ATTORNEY

DIANE MAZUR, SUPERVISORY INVESTIGATOR

I N D E X

PAGE

Agenda for Future Meetings: none	4

Outstanding Action Jackets: none	4

Minutes: none	4

Ratification List: none	4

Inv. No. TA-421-4 (Remedy)(Certain Ductile Iron

Waterworks Fittings from China) -- briefing and vote	4

P R O C E E D I N G S

(11:03 a.m.)

CHAIRMAN OKUN: Good morning. Good morning, Mr. Secretary.

MR. BISHOP: Good morning, Madam Chairman.

CHAIRMAN OKUN: There is no agenda for future meetings to consider. There are no outstanding action jackets to consider. There are no minutes to consider. There are no ratification lists to consider. Therefore, this meeting of the United States International Trade Commission this morning will turn to Investigation No. TA-421-4, (Remedy) Certain Ductile Iron Waterworks Fittings from China.

Good morning, Ms. Mazur and the other members of the staff who participated in the remedy phase of the investigation. Does any commissioner have questions for the staff?

(No response.)

CHAIRMAN OKUN: Mr. Secretary, will you please call the role?

MR. BISHOP: Commissioner Koplan?

COMMISSIONER KOPLAN: On the basis of the information developed in the subject investigation, I propose that the president impose a tariff rate quota for a three-year period on imports of certain ductile iron waterworks fittings from China that are the subject of this investigation as follows: An additional tariff of 50 percent ad valorem on imports in excess of 14,324 short tons in the first year of relief; 40 percent ad valorem on imports in excess of 15,398 short tons in the second year of relief; and 30 percent ad valorem on imports in excess of 16,553 short tons in the third year of relief.

Finally, if applications are filed, I recommend that the president direct the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Labor to provide expedited consideration of trade-
adjustment assistance for firms and/or workers affected by the subject imports.

MR. BISHOP: Commissioner Pearson?

COMMISSIONER PEARSON: I concur.

MR. BISHOP: Commissioner Lane?

COMMISSIONER LANE: I concur.

MR. BISHOP: Commissioner Hillman?

VICE CHAIRMAN HILLMAN: In this investigation, I recommend that the president impose a quota on imports of certain ductile iron waterworks fittings from China for a three-year period at the following levels: 14,324 short tons in the first year of relief; 15,398 short tons in the second year of relief; and 16,553 short tons in the third year of relief.

MR. BISHOP: Commissioner Miller?

COMMISSIONER MILLER: In this investigation, I propose a tariff increase for a three-year period on imports of the subject ductile iron waterworks fittings from China. I propose a tariff increase of 50 percent ad valorem in the first year of relief, to be reduced to 40 percent ad valorem in the second year relief, and to 30 percent ad valorem in the third year of relief.

MR. BISHOP: Commissioner Okun?

CHAIRMAN OKUN: I concur with the remedy recommendation as articulated by Commissioners Koplan, Pearson, and Lane.

MR. BISHOP: Madam Chairman, the Commission have announced their recommendations on remedy in the remedy phase of this investigation.

CHAIRMAN OKUN: Further information regarding these recommendations will be in a press release. Commissioners' recommendations on remedy are currently scheduled to be transmitted to the president and the United States trade representative on or before December 24, 2003.

Once again, I want to thank the staff for all of their help in preparing these remedy recommendations, and with no other business to come before the Commission, this meeting is adjourned.

(Whereupon, at 11:06 a.m., the Commission meeting was adjourned.)

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CERTIFICATION OF TRANSCRIPTION

TITLE:	(Remedy)(Certain Ductile Iron Waterworks Fittings from China)

INVESTIGATION NOS.:	TA-421-4

HEARING DATE:	December 15, 2003

LOCATION:	Washington, D.C.

NATURE OF HEARING:	Briefing and vote

I hereby certify that the foregoing/attached transcript is a true, correct and complete record of the above-referenced proceeding(s) of the U.S. International Trade Commission.

DATE:	12/15/03

SIGNED:	LaShonne Robinson

Signature of the Contractor or the

Authorized Contractor's Representative

1220 L Street, N.W. - Suite 600

Washington, D.C. 20005

I hereby certify that I am not the Court Reporter and that I have proofread the above-referenced transcript of the proceeding(s) of the U.S. International Trade Commission, against the aforementioned Court Reporter's notes and recordings, for accuracy in transcription in the spelling, hyphenation, punctuation and speaker-
identification, and did not make any changes of a substantive nature. The foregoing/attached transcript is a true, correct and complete transcription of the proceeding(s).

SIGNED:	Carlos Gamez

Signature of Proofreader

I hereby certify that I reported the above-
referenced proceeding(s) of the U.S. International Trade Commission and caused to be prepared from my tapes and notes of the proceedings a true, correct and complete verbatim recording of the proceeding(s).

SIGNED:	Mason Edwards

Signature of Court Reporter