Lyndon B. Johnson photo

Statement by the President Following the Signing of Bills Providing for Duty-Free Entry of Scientific Instruments.

November 08, 1965

DURING the past few days, I have signed 14 bills which would provide duty-free entry for specific scientific instruments imported for the use of 18 universities and educational institutions located in almost every section of the country.

I have approved these bills because each entry conforms to the standards for duty-free entry of scientific instruments under the agreement on the importation of educational, scientific, and cultural materials, commonly known as the Florence Agreement, to which the Senate gave its advice and consent in 1960 and for which implementing legislation is pending before the Congress. Earlier this year, I strongly recommended the enactment of such legislation.

The growing volume of special bills like the 14 I have just approved underscores and emphasizes the present need for general legislation in this area. In the interest of economy of effort and of consistent and equal treatment for all educational and scientific institutions and in furtherance of international cooperation, I earnestly hope that the Congress will give early favorable consideration to such general legislation during the forthcoming session.

Note: As enacted, the 14 bills providing for duty-free entry of scientific instruments, approved October 30-November 8, are Private Laws 89-172, 89174, 89-175, 89-177, 89-181, 89-187, 89-193, 89-195--89-199, 89-208, 89-209 (79 Stat. 14001415).
The statement was released at Austin, Tex.

Lyndon B. Johnson, Statement by the President Following the Signing of Bills Providing for Duty-Free Entry of Scientific Instruments. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/241110

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