Exports, Jobs, and Growth Act of 1996

Summary: TABLE OF CONTENTS:      Title I:  Overseas Private Investment Corporation      Title II:  Trade and Development Agency      Title III:  Export Promotion Programs within the           International Trade Administration      Title IV:  Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee Exports, Jobs, and Growth Act of 1996 - Title I:  Overseas Private Investment Corporation - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to increase the maximum per capita income levels of less developed countries eligible for Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) economic investment projects.  Increases the ceilings on the maximum contingent liabilities outstanding at any one time for investment insurance and for the financing of investment guarantees issued by OPIC as well as of direct U.S. investment. Extends OPIC's authority to issue such insurance and guarantees through FY 2001. Revises the congressional purpose of OPIC to include increasing U.S. exports to less developed countries and countries in transition from nonmarket to market economies. Revises the composition of the OPIC Board of Directors. Title II:  Trade and Development Agency - Authorizes appropriations for the Trade and Development Agency for FY 1997 and 1998. Title III:  Export Promotion Programs Within the International Trade Administration - Amends the Export Administration Amendments Act of 1985 to authorize appropriations for the Department of Commerce export promotion programs for FY 1997 and 1998. Title IV:  Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee - Amends the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 to require the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC) to develop a Federal trade promotion plan that, among other things, shall:  (1) identify the means for providing more coordinated export promotion services to small and medium-sized businesses; and (2) establish a set of priorities to promote U.S. exports to, and free market reforms in, the Middle East that are designed to stimulate job growth both in the United States and the region. Requires the TPCC to:  (1) identify areas of overlap and duplication among Federal export promotion activities and report on actions to eliminate such overlap and duplication; and (2) report to the Congress on actions taken to promote better coordination among State, Federal, and private sector export promotion activities. Requires the TPCC, in a specified annual report to the Congress, to describe the activities of TPCC departments and agencies to foster U.S. trade and investment which will facilitate private sector development in the Ukraine.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Exports, Jobs, and Growth Act of 
1996''.

            TITLE I--OVERSEAS PRIVATE INVESTMENT CORPORATION

SEC. 101. INCOME LEVELS.

    Section 231 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2191) 
is amended in paragraph (2) of the second undesignated paragraph--
            (1) by striking ``$984 or less in 1986 United States 
        dollars'' and inserting ``$1,280 or less in 1994 United States 
        dollars''; and
            (2) by striking ``$4,269 or more in 1986 United States 
        dollars'' and inserting ``$5,556 or more in 1994 United States 
        dollars''.

SEC. 102. CEILING ON INVESTMENT INSURANCE.

    Section 235(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2195(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``$13,500,000,000'' and inserting 
``$25,000,000,000''.

SEC. 103. CEILING ON FINANCING.

    Section 235(a)(2)(A) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
U.S.C. 2195(a)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ``$9,500,000,000'' and 
inserting ``$20,000,000,000''.

SEC. 104. ISSUING AUTHORITY.

    Section 235(a)(3) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2195(a)(3)) is amended by striking ``1996'' and inserting ``2001''.

SEC. 105. POLICY GUIDANCE.

    Section 231 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2191) 
is amended in the first paragraph--
            (1) by striking ``To mobilize'' and inserting ``To increase 
        United States exports to, and to mobilize'';
            (2) by striking ``of less developed'' and inserting ``of, 
        less developed''; and
            (3) by inserting ``trade policy and'' after ``complementing 
        the''.

SEC. 106. BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

    Section 233(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2193(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking the second and third sentences;
            (2) in the fourth sentence by striking ``(other than the 
        President of the Corporation, appointed pursuant to subsection 
        (c) who shall serve as a Director, ex-officio)'';
            (3) in the second undesignated paragraph--
                    (A) by inserting ``the President of the 
                Corporation, the Administrator of the Agency for 
                International Development, the United States Trade 
                Representative, and'' after ``including''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following: ``The 
                United States Trade Representative may designate a 
                Deputy United States Trade Representative to serve on 
                the Board in place of the United States Trade 
                Representative.''; and
            (4) by inserting after the second undesignated paragraph 
        the following:
    ``There shall be Chairman and a Vice Chairman of the Board, both of 
whom shall be designated by the President of the United States from 
among the Directors of the Board other than those appointed under the 
second sentence of the first paragraph of this subsection.''.

                 TITLE II--TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

SEC. 201. TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZATION.

    Section 661(f)(1)(A) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
U.S.C. 2191(f)(1)(A)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(1) Authorization.--(A) There are authorized to be 
        appropriated for purposes of this section, in addition to funds 
        otherwise available for such purposes, $40,000,000 for fiscal 
        1997, and such sums as are necessary for fiscal year 1998.''.

  TITLE III--EXPORT PROMOTION PROGRAMS WITHIN THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE 
                             ADMINISTRATION

SEC. 301. EXPORT PROMOTION AUTHORIZATION.

    Section 202 of the Export Administration Amendments Act of 1985 (15 
U.S.C. 4052) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 202. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of 
Commerce to carry out export promotion programs $240,000,000 for fiscal 
year 1997 and such sums as are necessary for fiscal year 1998.''.

            TITLE IV--TRADE PROMOTION COORDINATING COMMITTEE

SEC. 401. STRATEGIC EXPORT PLAN.

    Section 2312(c) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 
4727) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (4);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (5) and 
        inserting a semicolon; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) identify means for providing more coordinated and 
        comprehensive export promotion services to, and in behalf of, 
        small- and medium-sized businesses; and
            ``(7) establish a set of priorities to promote United 
        States exports to, and free market reforms in, the Middle East 
        that are designed to stimulate job growth both in the United 
        States and the region.''.

SEC. 402. IMPLEMENTATION OF PRIMARY OBJECTIVES.

    The Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee shall--
            (1) identify the areas of overlap and duplication among 
        Federal export promotion activities and report on the actions 
        taken or efforts currently underway to eliminate such overlap 
        and duplication;
            (2) report on actions taken or efforts currently underway 
        to promote better coordination between State, Federal, and 
        private sector export promotion activities, including co-
        location, cost-sharing between Federal, State, and private 
        sector export promotion programs, and sharing of market 
        research data; and
            (3) by not later than September 30, 1997, include the 
        matters addressed in paragraphs (1) and (2) in the annual 
        report required to be submitted under section 2312(f) of the 
        Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4727(f)).

SEC. 403. PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE UKRAINE.

    The Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee shall include in the 
annual report submitted in 1997 under section 2312(f) of the Export 
Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4727(f)) a description of the 
activities of the departments and agencies of the Trade Promotion 
Coordinating Committee to foster United States trade and investment 
which facilitates private sector development in the Ukraine.