of America

A Proclamation

1. By Proclamation 4640 of February 23, 1979, the President proclaimed, under the authority of the Constitution and the statutes of the United States, including sections 203(a)(3) and (e)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974 (the Trade Act) (19 U.S.C. 2253(a)(3) and 2253(e)(1)), the imposition of quantitative restrictions on U.S. imports of wood and plastic spring-type clothespins with a dutiable value not over $1.70 per gross provided for in items 790.05 of the Tariff Schedules of the United States (TSUS) (19 U.S.C. 1202). The quantitative limitation applied to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after February 23, 1979, and was to continue through February 22, 1982, unless earlier modified or terminated. The quota permitted the importation of a quantity or value of articles which is not less than the average annual quantity or value of such articles imported into the United States in the 1973 - 1978 period.

2. On December 7, 1981, the United States International Trade Commission (USITC), in accordance with sections 203(i)(3) and (5) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(i)(3) and 2253(i)(5)), reported the results of its investigation as required in section 203(i)(3) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(i)(3)) to the President (USITC Publication 1201). The USITC advised the President that termination or reduction of the import relief presently in effect with regard to certain clothespins will have an adverse economic effect on the domestic industry producing like or directly competitive products.

3. Section 203(h)(3) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(h)(3)) provides that any import relief instituted under the authority of section 203 may be extended by the President at a level no greater than that in effect at the time of extension if the President determines, after considering the advice of the USITC and the factors indicated in section 202(c) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2252(c)), that an extension is in the national interest.

4. In accordance with sections 203(h)(3) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(h)(3)), I have determined that import relief hereinafter proclaimed as to imports of certain clothespins should be extended at the level of relief in effect for the period of February 23, 1979, through February 22, 1982, and that such extension is in the national interest.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, acting under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the statutes of the United States, including sections 203 and 604 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253 and 2483), and in accordance with Article XIX of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) (61 Stat. (pt. 5) A58; 8 UST (pt. 2) 1786), do proclaim that --

(1) Part I of Schedule XX to the GATT is modified to take into account the actions taken in this proclamation.

(2) Subpart A, part 2 of the Appendix to the TSUS is modified by deleting, in the superior heading to items 925.11, 925.12, and 925.13, the years ``1979'' and ``1982'' and by inserting ``1982'' and ``1984'', respectively, in lieu thereof.

(3) This proclamation shall be effective as to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after February 23, 1982, and before the close of February 22, 1984, unless the period of its effectiveness is earlier expressly modified or terminated.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second day of February, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-two, and of the independence of the United States of America the two hundred and sixth.

Ronald Reagan

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11:05 a.m., February 23, 1982]

Note: The text of the proclamation was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on February 23.