Letter to the Chairmen, Senate finance and House Ways and Means Committees, Concerning Tariff Decisions.
Dear Mr. Chairman:
The Tariff Commission has furnished me with reports and supplemental information regarding escape clause investigations of Wilton, Brussels, velvet and tapestry carpets -and rugs, baseball and softball gloves and -mitts, ceramic mosaic tile, and cylinder, crown and sheet glass. I have carefully -considered these reports and obtained the .advice of the Trade Policy Committee.
I concur in the findings of injury made by the Committee with regard to Wilton, Brussels, velvet and tapestry carpets and rugs, and with regard to cylinder, crown and sheet glass, and I have issued proclamations promulgating increases in duties upon these commodities.
It is my judgment that the increases in duties recommended for ceramic mosaic tile and baseball and softball gloves and mitts should not be placed in effect. In both cases, the significant increases in imports did not -occur until many years after the duty concessions were granted. Domestic production has not declined appreciably. The level of employment in each industry has remained relatively constant. In addition, Japan, the principal supplier of these commodities, has recently established voluntary quotas on exports to the United States of both baseball gloves and ceramic tiles.
I therefore feel that neither serious injury nor threat of injury from trade agreement concessions on baseball gloves and ceramic tile is present.
Sincerely,
JOHN F. KENNEDY
Note: This is the text of identical letters addressed to the Honorable Harry flood Byrd, Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, and to the Honorable Wilbur D. Mills, Chairman, House Committee on Ways and Means.
On the same day the President issued Proclamations 3454 and 3455 (27 F.R. 2789, 2791) making effective at the close of business on April 18, 1962, modifications of the trade agreement concessions and adjustments of duties on certain types of woven carpeting and on cylinder, crown, and sheet glass. The effective date was deferred to June 17 by Proclamation 3458 (27 F.R.31)
John F. Kennedy, Letter to the Chairmen, Senate finance and House Ways and Means Committees, Concerning Tariff Decisions. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/237017