Have you heard of the "Byrd Amendment"?

[a_unique_person]

This is an interesting law, one that is stirring up a hornets nest between the US and the reset of the world.

http://www.ecdel.org.au/whatsnew/US_Byrd_amendment.htm

What does the Byrd Amendment do? If a company is found guilty of dumping and fined, the proceeds of the fine are paid to the companies that were deemed to be found to have suffered as a result of the dumping.

The WTO has found the amendment to be against it's trade laws. But the Congress is fighting back, saying that the WTO cannot dictate to the US Congress what it can and can't do.

One of the big problems with the system is that it encourages companies to make speculative anti dumping cases, even if there is no real case. You can also only benefit from the proceeds if you do make claims.

[Goshawk]

No real clue what it's all about, but the Dueling Headlines is fun. :D

WTO says Byrd Amendment is in clear breach of WTO rules (http://www.eurunion.org/news/press/2002/2002050.htm)

USWA Condemns today's WTO Ruling on Byrd Amendment (http://www.uswa.org/press/011603_byrd_amendment.htm)

US loses appeal on Byrd amendment (http://www.twnside.org.sg/title/5264a.htm)

EMAIL CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS TO REPEAL THE BYRD AMENDMENT (http://www.cwt.org/Actnow/Actnow_Byrd.html)

Bush Budget Slashes Byrd Amendment, Alters Byrd Bill (http://www.news-register.net/news/story/025202003_new03.asp)
Wednesday, February 05, 2003

The Bush administration has proposed deep cuts to one program and the complete elimination of another designed to provide financial support to struggling domestic steelmakers.

The president's budget calls for elimination of the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000, known as the Byrd Amendment, after its sponsor, U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va.