U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal of trade-case decision

The Supreme Court declined to take up a U.S.-China trade issue, rejecting an appeal on whether courts can review presidential decisions on import-restriction recommendations by the U.S. International Trade Commission, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

The legal challenge to President George W. Bush was brought by Motion Systems Corp., an Eatontown, N.J., maker of pedestal parts for motorized wheelchairs, said the report.

The company filed a complaint with the ITC in 2002 arguing Chinese imports of similar products threatened its business, and the ITC recommended the U.S. impose quotas on the Chinese imports for three years, the report added.

But President Bush in January 2003 rejected restricted trade in the electric-scooter devices, saying "the import relief would have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy clearly greater than the benefits of such action."

The company appealed the decision to the Federal U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, which handles patent and certain trade appeals. In February 2006, the Federal Circuit ruled Congress didn't give it authority to review the president's decision.

Source: Xinhua