GREGG AND SUNUNU URGE STATE DEPARTMENT TO MEET WITH GOSS ON TRADE DISPUTE
U.S. Senators Judd Gregg and John Sununu (R-NH) today wrote to Reuben Jeffery III, the Under Secretary for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs at the United States Department of State, urging him to meet with Bob Brown, CEO of Goss International Corporation, to be briefed on the ongoing antidumping trade dispute, Goss International Corp. v. Tokyo Kikai Seiskusho (TKS). On February 19, 2008, the United States Supreme Court reviewed this case and asked for the opinion of the Solicitor General of the United States, Paul D. Clement, prior to deciding whether to further consider the case. The Senators support Goss's request to meet with the State Department and discuss whether the Department will weigh in with the Solicitor General prior to his decision on whether or not to back Goss's appeal. The full text of the letter is included below.
Goss International employs more than 1,000 at its Dover and Durham, New Hampshire locations, and it has been involved in a trade dispute with TKS, a Japanese competitor, since 2003. In October, Goss filed a petition requesting that the Supreme Court review a ruling by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. This ruling reversed a lower court's injunction against TKS, a competitor of Goss, which would have prevented the Japanese company from recouping a $31.6 million judgment that Goss had successfully won in an antidumping lawsuit against TKS. On October 18, 2007, Senators Gregg and Sununu requested that the Solicitor General file a legal brief in support of Goss's petition and urge the Court to review the Eighth Circuit's ruling.
Senators Gregg and Sununu stated, "As Goss awaits a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, we remain hopeful that the Solicitor General and the rest of the federal government will stand up for Goss, its employees, and all those who believe in enforcement of our trade laws. Considering the impact that this trade dispute might be having on our relations with Japan, it is important that Goss have the opportunity to meet with State Department officials to discuss the unfortunate acts of TKS and the Japanese government, as well as the importance of overturning the Eighth Circuit's ruling to ensure that our trade laws are respected worldwide. We are hopeful that the State Department will weigh in with the Solicitor General and encourage him to support the Supreme Court taking this case."
The full text of the letter follows:
March 4, 2008
The Honorable Reuben Jeffery III
Under Secretary for Economic, Energy
and Agricultural Affairs
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Under Secretary Jeffery,
We write to respectfully request that you give serious consideration to the recent meeting request by Bob Brown, CEO of Goss International Corporation. Given the U.S. Supreme Court's call for the opinion of the U.S. Solicitor General in the case of Goss International Corp. v. Tokyo Kikai Seiskusho (TKS), it is imperative that the Department of State be fully briefed on the issues before the Court.
While we intend to provide more extensive views under a separate writing, we must stress the importance of learning firsthand about the illegal dumping practices and fraudulent representations made by TKS. The thousands of employees of Goss, including those at facilities in New Hampshire, expect that the U.S. Government will take all actions necessary to ensure respect of our legal system by a foreign nation with which the U.S. enjoys an exceptional relationship, lawful commercial practices by foreign companies operating in the U.S., and the integrity of our trade policies.
We appreciate you giving this matter your personal attention.
Sincerely,
U.S. Senator Judd Gregg
U.S. Senator John Sununu