Request for Public Comments on the Extension of Temporary Amendment to the Requirements for Participating in the Special Access Progam for Caribbean Basin Countries

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Request for Public Comments on the Extension of Temporary

Amendment to the Requirements for Participating in the Special Access

Progam for Caribbean Basin Countries

November 5, 1998.

AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Notice.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori E. Mennitt, International Trade

Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of

Commerce, (202) 482-3400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: Section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as

amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as

amended.

[[Page 63298]]

A notice and letter to the Commissioner of Customs published in the

Federal Register on December 17, 1997 (62 FR 66057) announced the

temporary amendment to the foreign origin exception for findings and

trimmings under the Special Access Program. This amendment extended the

exemption period for one year, December 23, 1997 through December 22,

1998, for women's and girls' chest type plate, ``hymo'' piece or

``sleeve header'' of woven or welf-inserted warp knit construction of

coarse animal hair or man-made filaments used in the manufacture of

tailored suit jackets and suit-type jackets in Categories 433, 443, 633

and 643 which are entered under the Special Access Program

(9802.00.8015) provided they are cut in the United States. In a

subsequent notice and letter published on September 29, 1998 (63 FR

51903), the exemption was extended for the period September 23, 1998

through September 22, 1999 for men's and boys' chest type plate,

``hymo'' piece or ``sleeve header'' of woven or welf-inserted warp knit

construction of coarse animal hair or man-made filaments used in the

manufacture of tailored suit jackets and suit-type jackets in the same

categories.

The purpose of this notice is to request public comments on CITA's

intention to combine and extend through December 31, 2000, the

exemption periods for women's and girls' and men's and boys' ``hymo''

type interlining. Thereafter, the exemption period for women's and

girls' and men's and boys' ``hymo'' type interlining would extend

through December 31, 2000.

There will be a 30-day comment period beginning November 12, 1998

and extending through December 14, 1998. Anyone wishing to comment or

provide data or information regarding domestic production or

availability of the products mentioned above is invited to submit 10

copies of such comments or information to Troy H. Cribb, Chairman,

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, U.S. Department

of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230; ATTN: Helen L. LeGrande.

Comments or information submitted in response to this notice will

be available for public inspection in the Office of Textiles and

Apparel, room H3100, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution

Avenue, NW., Washington, DC.

The solicitation of comments is not a waiver in any respect of the

exemption contained in 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1) relating to matters which

constitute ``a foreign affairs function of the United States.''

A description of the textile and apparel categories in terms of HTS

numbers is available in the CORRELATION: Textile and Apparel Categories

with the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (see Federal

Register notice 62 FR 66057, published on December 17, 1997).

Troy H. Cribb,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

[FR Doc. 98-30235 Filed 11-10-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F