An act to provide for the temporary suspension of certain duties, to extend certain existing suspensions of duties, and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-609 · H.R. 5047 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 28, 1980 · Foreign Trade and International Finance
Sponsor: Rep. William Frenzel (R-MN-3)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
=Title I: Amendments to Tariff Schedules= - Amends the Tariff Schedules of the United States to: (1) exclude from the definition of foreign material, for purposes of the duty-free treatment of products of insular possession, materials which, at the time they were imported into such possession, entered duty-free and were incorporated into such product within 18 months of importation; (2) make permanent the duty-free entry of specified silk yarns; (3) make permanent the duty-free entry pof poppy straw extract; (4) permits duties to be tendered on valuable wastes resulting from the manufacturing process of articles entering the United States duty-free under bond, in lieu of the exportation or destruction of such wastes; (5) permit the duty-free entry of frozen or otherwise preserved water chestmnuts and bamboo shoots until June 30, 1983; (6) permit the duty-free entry of trimethylene glycol di-p-amninobenzoate until after June 30, 1983; (7) permit the duty-free entry of photographic color couplers and chemical used in the manufacture of such couplers until June 30, 1982; (8) extend the suspension of duty on the entry of doxorubicin hydrocholride until after June 30, 1982; (9) permit the duty-free entry of hydrochloride until December 31, 1981; (10) provide for the duty-free entry of specified power-driven flat knitting machines until June 30, 1981; (11) reduct the duty on warp knitting machines until June 30, 1983; (12) reduce the duty on chipper knife steel (not cold formed) until September 30, 1982; (13) reduce the duty on unwrought lead, other than lead bullion (but not below a specified amount) until June 6, 1983; (14) exempt the cost to certain tuna vessels of tuna purse seine net, netting, and repair parts purchased or repaired in Panama from duty upon entry into the United States during the period of October 1, 1979 through December 31, 1981; (15) permit the duty-free entry of wood veneers; (16) reduce the duty on ephedrine, racephdrine, and their salts; and (17) reduce the duty on certain textile fabric of man-made fibers used in the manufacture of hovercraft skirts until June 30, 1983.
Prohibits any modification of the temporary rate of duty or imposition of any additional duty on unwrought lead other than lead bullion. Makes the tariffs on pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, racephedrine, and their subjects subject to any staged rate reductions proclaimed by the President prior to enactment of this Act. Provides for the liquidation of duties of articles entering between June 30, 1980 and the date of enactment.
=Title II: Amendments to Other Trade Laws= - Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to permit the refund of import duties, taxes, or fees imposed on merchandise which is: (1) not used (other than incidental operations) within the United States; and (2) exported in the same condition as when imported or destroyed within three years of importation. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to permit the informal entry of U.S. products: (1) for repair or alteration prior to reexportation; or (2) after having been returned by the foreign purchaser for credit.
Amends the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 to specify that the rates of duty on alcoholic beverages shall be assessed on a proof gallon basis. Makes such rates effective January 1, 1980.
Makes the duty free treatment of flight simulating machines, balloons, gliders, and airplanes effective on January 1, 1980.
Amends the Act concerning foreign-trade zones to require the Foreign-Trade Zones Board to report to Congress annually on April 1, (currently, such Board reports on the first day of each regular session).
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue advisory rulings and determinations as to country of origin for purposes of government procurement, notwithstanding Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1979 which transferred such functions to the Secretary of Commerce.
Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions - Amends the Tariff Schedules of the United States to: (1) reduce the colum 1 duty and establish the least developed developing country duty on certain dyeing and tanning materials; (2) make the column 1 on such materials subject to certain staged rate reductions proclaimed before enactment of this Act, and (3) makes such duties effective October 17, 1980.
Requires the District Director of the United States Customs Service, Portland, Oregion, to convey certain amphibious resupply cargo craft to the Coos Country sheriff's office, Coos County, Oregon.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 14 actions.
- Dec 28, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-609.
- Dec 18, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Dec 17, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Dec 13, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Sep 26, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Finance Committee
- Jul 23, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Finance Committee
- Jul 21, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Jun 19, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Ways and Means Committee
- Aug 1, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Ways and Means Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.