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March 11, 2004  

RAMSTAD INTRODUCES LEGISLATION  

REPEALING ILLEGAL SUBSIDY

WASHINGTON – Trade Subcommittee member, Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-MN), last night introduced legislation repealing the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act (CDSOA), also referred to as the “Byrd Amendment.”  

The legislation was introduced in response to a recent WTO ruling against the law and a report by the Congressional Budget Office describing its damages to the U.S. economy.  Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Crane is an original cosponsor.

“The Byrd Amendment must be repealed because, as the CBO report showed, this illegal subsidy provides financial incentives for companies to seek anti-dumping and countervailing duty rewards,” said Ramstad. 

“This is time, effort and capital that is being wasted chasing court cases rather than contributing to our economy and creating jobs,” said Ramstad.

“Unless we repeal the illegal Byrd Amendment, American exports will be vulnerable to retaliation, and the U.S. faces a much greater task in convincing other countries to make their own laws compliant with international rules,” said Ramstad.

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