XN000022-1985-11-14 — Page 16

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1985

OPPONENTS OF THE BILL PUT FORWARD A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS DURING THE DEBATE. THE PROCEEDINGS SAW SENATORS THURMOND AND HOLLINGS ACCEPT AMENDMENTS EXCLUDING SILK WHERE A PRODUCT CONTAINED MORE THAN 70 PER CENT OF THE MATERIAL, SKI BOOTS, AND ITEMS FROM INSULAR POSSESSIONS, SUCH AS GUAM, PROVIDING THE PERSONS RESPONSIBLE WERE PERMANENT RESIDENTS OR Ú.S. CITIZENS.

SUNST

AN AMENDMENT TO ADD PROTECTION FOR THE U.S. COPPER INDUSTRY WAS APPROVED (THE BILL ALREADY INCLUDES FOOTWEAR IN ADDITION TO TEXTILES). SOME OF THE OTHER AMENDMENTS WHICH WERE NOT APPROVED ARE OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO HONG KONG.

ONE AMENDMENT PROPOSED THAT COUNTRIES TO WHICH THE U.S. EXPORTED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS WORTH MORE THAN $430 MILLION SHOULD BE EXEMPT. THESE COUNTRIES INCLUDED CHINA, TAIWAN,

THIS AMENDMENT WAS DEFEATED SOUTH KOREA, BRAZIL AND HONG KONG. BY 60 VOTES TO 39.

TED

ANOTHER PROPOSED AMENDMENT RELATED TO OPEN MARKETS WHICH SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED HONG KONG AS BEING THE ONLY PLACE WHICH COULD QUALIFY AT PRESENT. DURING THE DEBATE, SENATOR EVANS REFERRED TO A LETTER WHICH HE HAD RECEIVED FROM HONG KONG'S SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR ERIC HO, AND HE SAID HE WISHED IT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. THE ACTUAL AMENDMENT WAS DEFEATED 68 VOTES TO 30.

+THE VOTING IS QUITE ENCOURAGING, MR MACLEOD SAID. +PRESIDENT REAGAN HAS SAID THAT HE IS OPPOSED TO PROTECTIONIST LEGISLATION, AND IF HE VETOES THIS BILL (ONCE A SINGLE VERSION OF IT HAS BEEN PRODUCED) THEN IT WOULD BE REFERRED BACK TO THE SENATE, AND TO THE HOUSE, WHERE A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO OVERRIDE THAT VETO.

+ON YESTERDAY'S VOTING, IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT SUCH

A PROPORTION COULD BE ACHIEVED AND IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO MIGHT VOTE FOR THE BILL NOW WOULD THINK TWICE ABOUT THE MORE SERIOUS STEP OF OVERRIDING A VETO.+

HONG KONG'S WASHINGTON OFFICE AND THE TERRITORY'S LOBBYISTS HAD WORKED EFFECTIVELY AND HARD IN THE RUN UP TO THE DEBATE, AND CONSIDERATION WAS NOW BEING GIVEN TO THE NEXT STAGE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE BILL, MR MACLEOD ADDED.