Laws: Cases and Codes : U.S. Code : Title 19 : Section 2903


   
U.S. Code as of: 01/19/04
Section 2903. Implementation of trade agreements

    (a) In general
      (1) Any agreement entered into under section 2902(b) or (c) of
    this title shall enter into force with respect to the United States
    if (and only if) - 
        (A) the President, at least 90 calendar days before the day on
      which he enters into the trade agreement, notifies the House of
      Representatives and the Senate of his intention to enter into the
      agreement, and promptly thereafter publishes notice of such
      intention in the Federal Register;
        (B) after entering into the agreement, the President submits a
      document to the House of Representatives and to the Senate
      containing a copy of the final legal text of the agreement,
      together with - 
          (i) a draft of an implementing bill,
          (ii) a statement of any administrative action proposed to
        implement the trade agreement, and
          (iii) the supporting information described in paragraph (2);
        and

        (C) the implementing bill is enacted into law.

      (2) The supporting information required under paragraph
    (1)(B)(iii) consists of - 
        (A) an explanation as to how the implementing bill and proposed
      administrative action will change or affect existing law; and
        (B) a statement - 
          (i) asserting that the agreement makes progress in achieving
        the applicable purposes, policies, and objectives of this
        title,
          (ii) setting forth the reasons of the President regarding - 
            (I) how and to what extent the agreement makes progress in
          achieving the applicable purposes, policies, and objectives
          referred to in clause (i), and why and to what extent the
          agreement does not achieve other applicable purposes,
          policies, and objectives,
            (II) how the agreement serves the interests of United
          States commerce, and
            (III) why the implementing bill and proposed administrative
          action is required or appropriate to carry out the agreement;

          (iii) describing the efforts made by the President to obtain
        international exchange rate equilibrium and any effect the
        agreement may have regarding increased international monetary
        stability; and
          (iv) describing the extent, if any, to which - 
            (I) each foreign country that is a party to the agreement
          maintains non-commercial state trading enterprises that may
          adversely affect, nullify, or impair the benefits to the
          United States under the agreement, and
            (II) the agreement applies to or affects purchases and
          sales by such enterprises.

      (3) To ensure that a foreign country which receives benefits
    under a trade agreement entered into under section 2902(b) or (c)
    of this title is subject to the obligations imposed by such
    agreement, the President shall recommend to Congress in the
    implementing bill and statement of administrative action submitted
    with respect to such agreement that the benefits and obligations of
    such agreement apply solely to the parties to such agreement, if
    such application is consistent with the terms of such agreement.
    The President may also recommend with respect to any such agreement
    that the benefits and obligations of such agreement not apply
    uniformly to all parties to such agreement, if such application is
    consistent with the terms of such agreement.
    (b) Application of Congressional "fast track" procedures to
      implementing bills
      (1) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section - 
        (A) the provisions of section 2191 of this title (hereinafter
      in this section referred to as "fast track procedures") apply to
      implementing bills submitted with respect to trade agreements
      entered into under section 2902(b) or (c) of this title before
      June 1, 1991; and
        (B) such fast track procedures shall be extended to
      implementing bills submitted with respect to trade agreements
      entered into under section 2902(b) or (c) of this title after May
      31, 1991, and before June 1, 1993, if (and only if) - 
          (i) the President requests such extension under paragraph
        (2); and
          (ii) neither House of the Congress adopts an extension
        disapproval resolution under paragraph (5) before June 1, 1991.

      (2) If the President is of the opinion that the fast track
    procedures should be extended to implementing bills described in
    paragraph (1)(B), the President must submit to the Congress, no
    later than March 1, 1991, a written report that contains a request
    for such extension, together with - 
        (A) a description of all trade agreements that have been
      negotiated under section 2902(b) or (c) of this title and the
      anticipated schedule for submitting such agreements to the
      Congress for approval;
        (B) a description of the progress that has been made in
      multilateral and bilateral negotiations to achieve the purposes,
      policies, and objectives of this title, and a statement that such
      progress justifies the continuation of negotiations; and
        (C) a statement of the reasons why the extension is needed to
      complete the negotiations.

      (3) The President shall promptly inform the Advisory Committee
    for Trade Policy and Negotiations established under section 2155 of
    this title of his decision to submit a report to Congress under
    paragraph (2). The Advisory Committee shall submit to the Congress
    as soon as practicable, but no later than March 1, 1991, a written
    report that contains - 
        (A) its views regarding the progress that has been made in
      multilateral and bilateral negotiations to achieve the purposes,
      policies, and objectives of this title; and
        (B) a statement of its views, and the reasons therefor,
      regarding whether the extension requested under paragraph (2)
      should be approved or disapproved.

      (4) The reports submitted to the Congress under paragraphs (2)
    and (3), or any portion of the reports, may be classified to the
    extent the President determines appropriate.
      (5)(A) For purposes of this subsection, the term "extension
    disapproval resolution" means a resolution of either House of the
    Congress, the sole matter after the resolving clause of which is as
    follows: "That the            disapproves the request of the
    President for the extension, under section 1103(b)(1)(B)(i) of the
    Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, of the provisions of
    section 151 of the Trade Act of 1974 to any implementing bill
    submitted with respect to any trade agreement entered into under
    section 1102(b) or (c) of such Act after May 31, 1991, because
    sufficient tangible progress has not been made in trade
    negotiations.", with the blank space being filled with the name of
    the resolving House of the Congress.
      (B) Extension disapproval resolutions - 
        (i) may be introduced in either House of the Congress by any
      member of such House; and
        (ii) shall be jointly referred, in the House of
      Representatives, to the Committee on Ways and Means and the
      Committee on Rules.

      (C) The provisions of section 2192(d) and (e) of this title
    (relating to the floor consideration of certain resolutions in the
    House and Senate) apply to extension disapproval resolutions.
      (D) It is not in order for - 
        (i) the Senate to consider any extension disapproval resolution
      not reported by the Committee on Finance;
        (ii) the House of Representatives to consider any extension
      disapproval resolution not reported by the Committee on Ways and
      Means and the Committee on Rules; or
        (iii) either House of the Congress to consider an extension
      disapproval resolution that is reported to such House after May
      15, 1991.
    (c) Limitations on use of "fast track" procedures
      (1)(A) The fast track procedures shall not apply to any
    implementing bill submitted with respect to a trade agreement
    entered into under section 2902(b) or (c) of this title if both
    Houses of the Congress separately agree to procedural disapproval
    resolutions within any 60-day period.
      (B) Procedural disapproval resolutions - 
        (i) in the House of Representatives - 
          (I) shall be introduced by the chairman or ranking minority
        member of the Committee on Ways and Means or the chairman or
        ranking minority member of the Committee on Rules,
          (II) shall be jointly referred to the Committee on Ways and
        Means and the Committee on Rules, and
          (III) may not be amended by either Committee; and

        (ii) in the Senate shall be original resolutions of the
      Committee on Finance.

      (C) The provisions of section 2192(d) and (e) of this title
    (relating to the floor consideration of certain resolutions in the
    House and Senate) apply to procedural disapproval resolutions.
      (D) It is not in order for the House of Representatives to
    consider any procedural disapproval resolution not reported by the
    Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on Rules.
      (E) For purposes of this subsection, the term "procedural
    disapproval resolution" means a resolution of either House of the
    Congress, the sole matter after the resolving clause of which is as
    follows: "That the President has failed or refused to consult with
    Congress on trade negotiations and trade agreements in accordance
    with the provisions of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of
    1988, and, therefore, the provisions of section 151 of the Trade
    Act of 1974 shall not apply to any implementing bill submitted with
    respect to any trade agreement entered into under section 1102(b)
    or (c) of such Act of 1988, if, during the 60-day period beginning
    on the date on which this resolution is agreed to by the          
    , the            agrees to a procedural disapproval resolution
    (within the meaning of section 1103(c)(1)(E) of such Act of
    1988).", with the first blank space being filled with the name of
    the resolving House of the Congress and the second blank space
    being filled with the name of the other House of the Congress.
      (2) The fast track procedures shall not apply to any implementing
    bill that contains a provision approving of any trade agreement
    which is entered into under section 2902(c) of this title with any
    foreign country if either - 
        (A) the requirements of section 2902(c)(3) of this title are
      not met with respect to the negotiation of such agreement; or
        (B) the Committee on Finance of the Senate or the Committee on
      Ways and Means of the House of Representatives disapproves of the
      negotiation of such agreement before the close of the 60-day
      period which begins on the date notice is provided under section
      2902(c)(3)(C)(i) of this title with respect to the negotiation of
      such agreement.
    (d) Rules of House of Representatives and Senate
      Subsections (b) and (c) of this section are enacted by the
    Congress - 
        (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of
      Representatives and the Senate, respectively, and as such is
      deemed a part of the rules of each House, respectively, and such
      procedures supersede other rules only to the extent that they are
      inconsistent with such other rules; and
        (2) with the full recognition of the constitutional right of
      either House to change the rules (so far as relating to the
      procedures of that House) at any time, in the same manner, and to
      the same extent as any other rule of that House.
    (e) Computation of certain periods of time
      Each period of time described in subsection (c)(1)(A) and (E) and
    (2) of this section shall be computed without regard to - 
        (1) the days on which either House of Congress is not in
      session because of an adjournment of more than 3 days to a day
      certain or an adjournment of the Congress sine die; and
        (2) any Saturday and Sunday, not excluded under paragraph (1),
      when either House of the Congress is not in session.



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