In this historical analysis of U.S. trade policy, we apply the median voter model to explain legislative decision-making. In this model, the level of tariff protection is expected to change with changes in the median legislator. We show that this simple model does a remarkable job of explaining...

In this paper I present evidence on the effectiveness of AD actions. Using a data set based on the line-item tariff codes identified in the cases, I examine the trade patterns of both countries named in the petition and those countries not subject to the investigation. Several important finding...

We examine the importance of delegation for Congressional policy-making, focusing particularly on U.S. trade policy. We present a model of decision-making where legislators use trade policy to maximize their districts' welfare. We show that this simple model does a remarkable job explaining...

Competition policy emerged as an important area of interest during the later stages of Uruguay Round negotiations. The task of establishing competition policy is complicated by the fact that there already are trade statutes---antidumping, countervailing duty, safeguard actions---that relate to...

We examine the incentives for a government to levy an optimal tariff on a foreign monopolist. With complete information, the home government uses tariffs to extract rents and therefore implements a policy of discriminatory tariffs entailing higher tariffs on more efficient firms. By contrast if...

In 1984 Congress amended the antidumping and countervailing duty laws, mandating that the ITC ``cumulate'' imports across countries when determining injury. We estimate that cumulation increases the probability of an affirmative injury determination by 20 to 30 percent and has changed the ITC's...

We argue that the rise of antidumping protection and the proliferation of voluntary export restraints are fundamentally inter-related. We show that both can be explained by a cost-based definition of dumping when the domestic government has incomplete information about the foreign firm's costs....

In this paper we examine how the timing of investment affects the levels of quality chosen by firms. We show that in a model with vertical quality differentiation a game with sequential quality choice induces both firms to make smaller quality investments than they would in a game with...

We formalize the notion that GATT exceptions such as antidumping and escape clause actions can act as insurance for import competing sectors affected by adverse price shocks. We use a general equilibrium model with several import competing sectors and assume incomplete markets so that agents...

This review provides an overview of the United States' use of antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) laws during the 1980-1994 period. Of particular emphasis in this review is the use of the these laws against Canada and Mexico in comparison with other similar countries. A review of the...