An official website of the United States government. 
News Release 14-051
Inv. No(s). 332-345
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
The United States is the world's largest services market and was the world's leading exporter and importer of services in 2012, reports the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) in its new publication Recent Trends in U.S. Services Trade, 2014 Annual Report.
The USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, compiles the report annually. Each year's report presents a qualitative and quantitative overview of U.S. trade in services and highlights some of the service sectors and geographic markets that contribute substantially to recent services trade performance.
This year's report focuses on electronic services and includes chapters on three specific industries: audiovisual services, computer services, and telecommunication services. Each chapter analyzes global market conditions in the industry, examines recent trade performance, and summarizes the industry's outlook.
The report describes trade in services via cross-border transactions through 2012 and via affiliate sales through 2011 (latest available data). Highlights include:
- In 2012, the value of U.S. commercial services exports was $621 billion (14 percent of global services exports), while imports totaled $411 billion (10 percent of global services imports).
- From 2011 to 2012, U.S. cross-border services exports rose 5 percent (down from nearly 11 percent in 2011), while U.S. services imports grew 4 percent (down from 7 percent in 2011). Electronic services accounted for 7 percent of exports and 8 percent of imports, yielding a trade surplus of $7.1 billion in this subsector in 2012.
- Within the services sector, sales by foreign affiliates of U.S. firms -- the leading channel by which many U.S. services are delivered to foreign markets -- rose by a robust 11 percent to $1.3 trillion in 2011. Electronic services accounted for $193 billion, or 15 percent, of the total.
- The contribution of private sector electronic services to U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) was $822.1 billion in 2012, accounting for roughly 6 percent of total U.S. private sector GDP. The output of these services grew by nearly 7 percent in 2012, outpacing total GDP growth in the private sector (3 percent). After slower growth during the previous five years, two industries within electronic services -- computer systems design and related services, and data processing and information services -- had the fastest GDP growth in 2012 (about 13 percent each).
- In 2012, electronic services accounted for only about 3 percent of total private sector employment, or 3.3 million full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. Employment in computer systems design and related services and in broadcasting and telecommunication services together represented 81 percent of this total, whereas employment in information and data processing services, along with motion picture and sound recording services, together accounted for the remaining 19 percent. Electronic services were the most productive U.S. sector in 2012, with an average output per worker of $249,802.
- A variety of impediments restrict trade in electronic services. Two examples include localization requirements for computer servers and online privacy protection measures that restrict cross-border data flows (such as those in the European Union). In addition, limits on foreign investment and on competition are prominent in several countries' telecommunication sectors, where former monopolies limit access to domestic networks. Noteworthy barriers affecting audiovisual services trade include quotas on imported films in such markets as France and China; Internet piracy of copyrighted intellectual property; and censorship.
- The USITC hosted its seventh annual services roundtable on November 14, 2013. The discussion, summarized in the report, focused on recent services negotiations and the assessment of services commitments in international trade agreements, as well as middle-income job opportunities for non-degree holders in service industries.
Recent Trends in U.S. Services Trade, 2014 Annual Report (Investigation No. 332-345, USITC publication 4463, April 2014) is available on the USITC's Internet site at http://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub4463.pdf.
News Release 14-052
Inv. No(s). 337-TA-916
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has voted to institute an investigation of certain non-volatile memory chips and products containing the same. The products at issue in this investigation are memory chips containing integrated circuits that can retain information in the absence of a power source and consumer electronics containing such chips, such as computers, tablets, phones, digital cameras, routers, and video game consoles and cartridges.
The investigation is based on a complaint filed by Spansion LLC of Sunnyvale, CA, on April 29, 2014. The complaint alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States and sale of certain non-volatile memory chips and products containing the same that infringe patents asserted by Spansion. The complainant requests that the USITC issue an exclusion order and cease and desist orders.
The USITC has identified the following as respondents in this investigation:
Macronix International Co., Ltd. of Hsin-chu, Taiwan;
Macronix America, Inc. of Milpitas, CA;
Macronix Asia Limited of Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Pref., Japan;
Macronix (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. of Hong Kong;
Acer Inc. of New Taipei City, Taiwan;
Acer America Corporation of San Jose, CA;
ADT Corporation of Boca Raton, FL;
Amazon.com, Inc. of Seattle, WA;
ASRock Inc. of Taipei City, Taiwan;
ASRock America, Inc. of Chino, CA;
ASUSTek Computer Inc. of Tapei, Taiwan;
ASUS Computer International of Fremont, CA;
Belkin International, Inc. of Playa Vista, CA;
D-Link Corporation of Taipei City, Taiwan;
D-Link Systems, Inc. of Fountain Valley, CA;
Leap Motion, Inc. of San Francisco, CA;
Lowe's Companies, Inc. of Mooresville, NC;
Lowe's Home Centers, Inc. of Wilkesboro, NC;
Microsoft Corp. of Redmond, WA;
Nintendo Co., Ltd. of Kyoto, Japan;
Nintendo of America, Inc. of Redmond, WA;
Sercomm Corporation of Taipei, Taiwan;
Vonage Holdings Corp. of Holmdel, NJ;
Vonage America Inc. of Holmdel, NJ; and
Vonage Marketing LLC of Holmdel, NJ.
By instituting this investigation (337-TA-916), the USITC has not yet made any decision on the merits of the case. The USITC's Chief Administrative Law Judge will assign the case to one of the USITC's administrative law judges (ALJ), who will schedule and hold an evidentiary hearing. The ALJ will make an initial determination as to whether there is a violation of section 337; that initial determination is subject to review by the Commission.
The USITC will make a final determination in the investigation at the earliest practicable time. Within 45 days after institution of the investigation, the USITC will set a target date for completing the investigation. USITC remedial orders in section 337 cases are effective when issued and become final 60 days after issuance unless disapproved for policy reasons by the U.S. Trade Representative within that 60-day period.
News Release 14-053
Inv. No(s). 701-TA-417 and 731-TA-953, 957-959, and 961-962 (Second Review)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today made its determinations in its five-year (sunset) reviews concerning Carbon and Certain Alloy Steel Wire Rod from Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Moldova, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ukraine.
With respect to the existing countervailing duty order on carbon and certain alloy steel wire rod from Brazil and the existing antidumping duty orders on this product from Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Moldova, and Trinidad and Tobago, the Commission made affirmative determinations, finding that revoking the orders would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time. As a result of the Commission's affirmative determinations, the existing orders on imports of this product from Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Moldova, and Trinidad and Tobago will remain in place.
With respect to the existing antidumping duty order on this product from Ukraine, the Commission made a negative determination, finding that revoking the order would not be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time. As a result of the Commission's negative determination, the existing order on imports of this product from Ukraine will be revoked.
Chairman Irving A. Williamson made affirmative determinations with respect to all countries. Commissioners Dean A. Pinkert, Meredith M. Broadbent, and F. Scott Kieff made affirmative determinations with respect to Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Moldova, and Trinidad and Tobago; they made negative determinations with respect to Ukraine. Commissioner David S. Johanson made affirmative determinations with respect to Brazil, Indonesia, Moldova, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ukraine; he made a negative determination with respect to Mexico. Commissioner Rhonda K. Schmidtlein did not participate in these reviews.
Today's action comes under the five-year (sunset) review process required by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. See below for background on these five-year (sunset) reviews.
The Commission's public report Carbon and Certain Alloy Steel Wire Rod from Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Moldova, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ukraine (Inv. Nos.701-TA-417 and 731-TA-953, 957- 959, and 961-962 (Second Review), USITC Publication 4472, June 2014) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the reviews.
The report will be available after July 1, 2014. After that date, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp. Copies also may be requested after that date by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202-205-2000, or writing to the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may be made by fax at 202-205-2104.
BACKGROUND
The Uruguay Round Agreements Act requires the Department of Commerce to revoke an antidumping or countervailing duty order, or terminate a suspension agreement, after five years unless the Department of Commerce and the USITC determine that revoking the order or terminating the suspension agreement would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or subsidies (Commerce) and of material injury (USITC) within a reasonably foreseeable time.
The Commission's institution notice in five-year reviews requests that interested parties file responses with the Commission concerning the likely effects of revoking the order under review as well as other information. Generally within 95 days from institution, the Commission will determine whether the responses it has received reflect an adequate or inadequate level of interest in a full review. If responses to the USITC's notice of institution are adequate, or if other circumstances warrant a full review, the Commission conducts a full review, which includes a public hearing and issuance of questionnaires.
The Commission generally does not hold a hearing or conduct further investigative activities in expedited reviews. Commissioners base their injury determination in expedited reviews on the facts available, including the Commission's prior injury and review determinations, responses received to its notice of institution, data collected by staff in connection with the review, and information provided by the Department of Commerce.
The five-year (sunset) reviews concerning Carbon and Certain Alloy Steel Wire Rod from Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Moldova, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ukraine were instituted on June 1, 2013.
On September 6, 2013, the Commission voted to conduct full reviews. With regard to Mexico, all six Commissioners concluded that both the domestic group response and the respondent group response for this review were adequate and voted for a full review. With regard to Brazil, Indonesia, Moldova, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ukraine, all six Commissioners concluded that the domestic group response for these reviews was adequate and that the respondent group responses were inadequate, but that circumstances warranted full reviews.
A record of the Commission's vote to conduct full reviews is available from the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may be made by telephone by calling 202-205-1802.
News Release 14-029
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has voted to institute an investigation of certain hemostatic products and components thereof. The products at issue in this investigation are hemostatic products used by medical providers to control bleeding during surgery.
The investigation is based on a complaint filed by Baxter International, Inc., of Deerfield, IL; Baxter Healthcare Corporation of Deerfield, IL; and Baxter Healthcare SA of Glattpark (Opfikon), Switzerland, on February 28, 2014. The complaint alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States and sale of certain hemostatic products and components thereof that infringe patents asserted by the complainants. The complainants request that the USITC issue a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders.
The USITC has identified the following as respondents in this investigation:
Johnson and Johnson, of Brunswick, NJ;
Ethicon, Inc., of Somerville, NJ;
Ferrosan Medical Devices A/S of Soeborg, Denmark; and
Packaging Coordinators, Inc., of Philadelphia, PA.
By instituting this investigation (337-TA-913), the USITC has not yet made any decision on the merits of the case. The USITC's Chief Administrative Law Judge will assign the case to one of the USITC's administrative law judges (ALJ), who will schedule and hold an evidentiary hearing. The ALJ will make an initial determination as to whether there is a violation of section 337; that initial determination is subject to review by the Commission.
The USITC will make a final determination in the investigation at the earliest practicable time. Within 45 days after institution of the investigation, the USITC will set a target date for completing the investigation. USITC remedial orders in section 337 cases are effective when issued and become final 60 days after issuance unless disapproved for policy reasons by the U.S. Trade Representative within that 60-day period.
News Release 14-031
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
Irving A. Williamson, Chairman of the United States International Trade Commission (USITC), has announced that James R. Holbein has been named Director of the USITC'S Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements.
Holbein will oversee the Commission's office which is responsible for maintaining and publishing the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), represents the United States in the work of the World Customs Organization in Brussels, and coordinates interagency work on statistical annotations in the tariff schedule. The office also provides advice on tariff legislation and on tariff provisions in trade agreements and manages a heavily used online database of tariff and trade information.
Holbein served as Secretary to the Commission from 2011 until his appointment. In that role, he oversaw the filing and maintenance of the agency's official records and the conduct of the Commission's public meetings and hearings. He joined the USITC in 2008 as the supervisor of the agency's Docket Services operations and was named Director of the Office of Docket Services when that office was established in 2010.
Prior to joining the USITC, Holbein was President of Global Trade Consulting LLC, managing projects for start-up companies in the cybersecurity and environmental technology sectors. He also provided services involving regional integration, international trade policy, and alternative dispute resolution to governments, companies, and non-government organizations. In addition, he participated on several panels under North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Chapter 19, where he reviewed appeals of antidumping and countervailing duty determinations by NAFTA government agencies.
Previously, Holbein served for 10 years as the U.S. Secretary of the NAFTA Secretariat at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he managed an international trade dispute settlement process. Prior to that, he was a Foreign Service Officer for the U.S. Department of State for 10 years, serving in Korea and Norway.
Holbein holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara and a juris doctor degree from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia. He resides in Burke, VA, with his wife and two sons.
The USITC is an independent, nonpartisan, quasi-judicial federal agency that provides trade expertise to both the legislative and executive branches of government, determines the impact of imports on U.S. industries, and directs actions against certain unfair trade practices, such as patent, trademark, and copyright infringement.
News Release 14-032
Inv. No(s). 731-TA-1143 (Review)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC or Commission) has voted to expedite its five-year ("sunset") review concerning the antidumping duty order on small diameter graphite electrodes from China (Inv. No. 731-TA-1143 (Review)).
As a result of this vote, the Commission will conduct an expedited review to determine whether revocation of this order would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.
The Uruguay Round Agreements Act requires the Department of Commerce to revoke an antidumping or countervailing duty order, or terminate a suspension agreement, after five years unless the Department of Commerce and the USITC determine that revoking the order or terminating the suspension agreement would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or subsidies (Commerce) and of material injury (USITC) within a reasonably foreseeable time.
The Commission's notice of institution in five-year reviews requests that interested parties file with the Commission responses that discuss the likely effects of revoking the order under review and provide other pertinent information. Generally within 95 days from institution, the Commission will determine whether the responses it has received reflect an adequate or inadequate level of interest in a full review. If responses to the USITC's notice of institution are adequate, or if other circumstances warrant a full review, the Commission conducts a full review, which includes a public hearing and issuance of questionnaires.
The Commission generally does not hold a hearing or conduct further investigative activities in expedited reviews. Commissioners base their injury determinations in expedited reviews on the facts available, including the Commission's prior injury and review determinations, responses received to its notice of institution, data collected by staff in connection with the reviews, and information provided by the Department of Commerce.
All five Commissioners concluded that the domestic group response for this review was adequate and the respondent group response was inadequate and voted for an expedited review.
A record of the Commission's vote on this matter is available from the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may be made by telephone by calling 202-205-1802.
The record of the Commission's vote is also posted on the USITC's Internet site at http://pubapps2.usitc.gov/sunset/caseProf/list?sort=caseTitle&order=asc. From this page, search "small diameter graphite electrodes" using the search box in the upper right corner.
The Federal Register notice will indicate whether any further information or statements will be available. Only parties that filed adequate responses and filed timely notices of appearance are eligible to participate further in this review. The Commission will issue a report after it completes its review.
News Release 14-033
Inv. No(s). 337-TA-914
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has voted to institute an investigation of certain sulfentrazone, sulfentrazone compositions, and processes for making sulfentrazone. The products at issue in this investigation are used to control certain weeds in various agricultural crops including soybean, sunflower and tobacco, and controlling pests in non-crops such as ornamental plants, turf and golf courses.
The investigation is based on a complaint filed by FMC Corporation of Philadelphia, PA, on March 5, 2014. The complaint alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States and sale of certain sulfentrazone, sulfentrazone compositions, and processes for making sulfentrazone that infringe a patent asserted by the complainant. The complainant requests that the USITC issue a temporary exclusion order, a temporary cease and desist order, a limited exclusion order, and a cease and desist order.
The USITC has identified the following as respondents in this investigation:
Beijing Nutrichem Science and Technology Stock Co., Ltd., of Beijing, China;
Summit Agro USA, LLC, of Cary, NC;
Summit Agro North America Holding Corporation of New York, NY; and
Jiangxi Heyi Chemicals Co., Ltd., of Jiangxi, China.
By instituting this investigation (337-TA-914), the USITC has not yet made any decision on the merits of the case. The USITC's Chief Administrative Law Judge will assign the case to one of the USITC's administrative law judges (ALJ), who will schedule and hold an evidentiary hearing. The ALJ will make an initial determination as to whether there is a violation of section 337; that initial determination is subject to review by the Commission.
The USITC will make a final determination in the investigation at the earliest practicable time. Within 45 days after institution of the investigation, the USITC will set a target date for completing the investigation. USITC remedial orders in section 337 cases are effective when issued and become final 60 days after issuance unless disapproved for policy reasons by the U.S. Trade Representative within that 60-day period.
News Release 14-035
Inv. No(s). TA-131-039 and 332-548
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has launched two investigations concerning trade in environmental goods.
The first investigation will assess the probable economic effect of removing duties on environmental goods, and the second investigation will provide trade information and estimates for certain specified environmental goods.
The investigations were requested by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in a letter received on April 4, 2013. In the request letter, the USTR noted that the he had recently notified Congress of the President's intent to enter into negotiations with a group of WTO members to eliminate tariffs on environmental goods.
As requested, the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, will conduct two investigations and provide two reports to the USTR. Both reports will be confidential. The USITC will base its analysis on a list of goods provided by the USTR as an attachment to the request letter.
- The first investigation, Environmental Goods Trade Agreement: Advice on the Probable Economic Effect of Providing Duty-Free Treatment for Imports, will assess the economic effects of providing duty-free treatment for imports of certain environmental goods and related products on U.S. industries and consumers. This report will be delivered to USTR on August 4, 2014.
- The second investigation, U.S. Environmental Goods Trade, will provide trade information and estimates for certain specified environmental goods, including information on the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) nomenclature, specific product examples, major U.S. producers, the estimated value of U.S. imports and exports, key U.S. export markets, and tariff rates in key environmental goods markets. This report will be delivered to USTR on October 6, 2014.
The USITC will hold a public hearing in connection with the first investigation on May 14, 2014. Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m. on May 6, 2014, with the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. For further information, call 202-205-2000. (The USITC will not hold a hearing in connection with the second investigation.)
The USITC also welcomes written submissions for the record for both investigations. Written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary of the Commission at the above address and should be submitted at the earliest practical date but no later than 5:15 p.m. on May 19, 2014, for the first investigation and July 1, 2014, for the second investigation. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public inspection.
Further information on the scope of the investigations and appropriate submissions is available in the USITC's notices of investigation, dated April 17, 2014, which can be obtained from the USITC Internet site (http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/fed_reg_notices/332/131_039_notice04172014sgl.pdf (TA-131-039) and http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/fed_reg_notices/332/332_548_notice04172014sgl.pdf (332-548)) or by contacting the Office of the Secretary at the above address or at 202-205-2000.
USITC general factfinding investigations, such as these, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the Commission's objective findings and independent analyses on the subject investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigations reports are subsequently released to the public, unless, like these, they are classified as confidential by the requester for national security reasons.
News Release 14-037
Inv. No(s). 332-542
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
Benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) resulted in increased U.S. imports of automobiles, refined petroleum products, and apparel from AGOA countries during 2001-2013, reports the U.S. International Trade Commission in its publication AGOA: Trade and Investment Performance Overview.
The USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, completed the report at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative.
As requested, the report describes, reviews, and analyzes the trade and investment performance of beneficiary countries under the AGOA from 2000 to 2013. The report also identifies products that have the potential to be exported to the United States under AGOA or to be integrated into regional and global supply chains. The report also examines changes in the business and investment climate in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and lists reciprocal trade agreements involving SSA countries. Highlights of the report follow.
- The majority of U.S. imports from AGOA countries enter under the AGOA program. Such imports accounted for about 70 percent of all imports from AGOA countries during 2008-13. On average, crude petroleum accounted for almost 90 percent of these imports throughout the period. Excluding crude petroleum, U.S. imports under the AGOA are concentrated in three sectors - transportation equipment (primarily passenger motor vehicles from South Africa), refined petroleum products, and apparel. These products accounted for 89 percent of U.S. non-crude petroleum imports under AGOA in 2013.
- The products that experienced major export growth between 2000 and 2013 were limited to key sectors, with the top 10 products (excluding crude petroleum) accounting for over 90 percent of the growth in value over the period. The leading product group - motor vehicles - supplied about one-third of the growth and totaled $2.1 billion in 2013. Refined petroleum products followed, accounting for one-quarter of the growth and totaling $1.3 billion in 2013. Other major growth products were apparel; ferroalloys; aluminum mill products; cocoa, chocolate, and confectionery; miscellaneous inorganic chemicals; certain organic chemicals; edible nuts; and citrus fruit.
- Despite generally low rates of participation in the downstream activities of global and regional supply chains (GSCs and RSCs), a review of literature suggests that SSA sectors with the greatest potential to further integrate into GSCs and RSCs are (1) agricultural products and foodstuffs, (2) leather and leather products, (3) textiles and apparel, and (4) extractive natural resource products. The literature also shows that products with the greatest potential for export to the United States are agricultural products, handcrafts and woodcrafts, and leather and leather products.
- The report found that AGOA has had a positive impact on FDI inflows, particularly in the textile and apparel sector in Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Swaziland, and Botswana, but also in South Africa's automotive industry. Overall, the program's trade benefits and eligibility criteria appear to have motivated AGOA beneficiary countries to improve their business and investment climates.
- SSA countries, often as regional blocs, have pursued reciprocal trade agreements with non-SSA partners. An important aspect of many of these trade agreements is regional integration of SSA countries. At the same time, many of these agreements have asymmetrical provisions which generally allow SSA partners to reduce tariffs over a longer period of time than the non-SSA partners.
- The findings of studies estimating AGOA's impact on exports from SSA vary, ranging from broad positive effects to no effect, or to positive effects only in certain sectors, such as apparel. These varied findings can be attributed to differences in study methodology, time periods assessed, and level of product aggregation.
AGOA: Trade and Investment Performance Overview (Inv. No. 332-542, USITC publication 4461, April 2014) is available on the USITC's Internet site at http://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/updated_Errata_version_AGOA_pub4461.pdf.
The report may be requested by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, by calling 202-205-2000, or by writing the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436.
USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, and the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the Commission's objective findings and independent analyses on the subject investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigations reports are subsequently released to the public, unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.
News Release 14-038
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
Rhonda Schnare Schmidtlein, a Democrat of Missouri, was sworn in today as a Commissioner of the U.S. International Trade Commission. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 6, 2014, for the term expiring on December 16, 2021.
Commissioner Schmidtlein served as an expert consultant to the World Bank for the two years immediately prior to her appointment. In that role, she provided expertise on projects that sought to strengthen audit and accounting regulation and oversight in countries with emerging markets.
From 2005-2011, Commissioner Schmidtlein served as the founding Director of the office created to implement the international obligations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). The PCAOB is a regulatory agency created by Congress in 2002 to protect the interests of investors in U.S. capital markets and further the public interest in independent audit reports of U.S. public companies. Before becoming the Director of the PCAOB's Office of International Affairs, she served as Special Counsel to the Chairman of the PCAOB.
Commissioner Schmidtlein served in the General Counsel's office at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative from 1998 to 2003. In that role, she represented the United States as Head of Delegation and lead counsel in disputes before the World Trade Organization and provided legal counsel in connection with the negotiation of numerous international trade agreements.
Earlier in her career, Commissioner Schmidtlein was an Honors Program trial attorney in the Civil Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. She also was an adjunct professor for legal research and writing at the George Washington University's National Law Center. She began her career as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Howard F. Sachs, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri.
Commissioner Schmidtlein holds a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a juris doctor degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law. Originally from Carrollton, Missouri, she resides in Washington D.C. with her husband, John, and two children.
The U.S. International Trade Commission is an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency that provides trade expertise to both the legislative and executive branches of government, determines the impact of imports on U.S. industries, and directs actions against certain unfair trade practices, such as patent and trademark infringement.