IV

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. RES. 224

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on agricultural trade

negotiations.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 25, 1999

Mr. EWING (for himself and Mr. DOOLEY of California) submitted the

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on

agricultural trade negotiations.

Whereas the United States is the world’s largest exporter of

agricultural commodities and products;

Whereas 96 percent of the world’s consumers live outside the

United States;

Whereas the profitability of the United States agricultural

sector is dependent on a healthy export market; and

Whereas the next round of multilateral trade negotiations is

scheduled to begin on November 30, 1999: Now, therefore, be it
2

•HRES 224 IH

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports

2 and strongly encourages the President to adopt the fol3 lowing trade negotiating objectives:

4 (1) The initiation of a comprehensive round of

5 multilateral trade negotiations that—

6 (A) covers all goods and services;

7 (B) continues to reform agricultural and

8 food trade policy;

9 (C) promotes global food security through

10 open trade; and

11 (D) increases trade liberalization in agri12 culture and food.

13 (2) The simultaneous conclusion of the negotia14 tions for all sectors.

15 (3) The adoption of the framework established

16 under the Uruguay Round Agreements for the agri17 cultural negotiations conducted in 1999 to ensure

18 that there are no product or policy exceptions.

19 (4) The establishment of a 3-year goal for the

20 conclusion of the negotiations by December 2002.

21 (5) The elimination of all export subsidies and

22 tightening of rules for circumvention of export sub23 sidies.

24 (6) The elimination of all nontariff barriers to

25 trade.
3

•HRES 224 IH

1 (7) The transition of domestic agricultural sup2 port programs to a form decoupled from agricultural

3 production, as the United States has already done

4 under the Agricultural Market Transition Act (7

5 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.).

6 (8) The commercially meaningful reduction or

7 elimination of bound and applied tariffs, and the

8 mutual elimination of restrictive tariff barriers, on

9 an accelerated basis.

10 (9) The improved administration of tariff rate

11 quotas.

12 (10)(A) The elimination of state trading enter13 prises; or

14 (B) the adoption of policies that ensure oper15 ational transparency, the end of discriminatory pric16 ing practices, and competition for state trading en17 terprises.

18 (11) The maintenance of sound science and risk

19 assessment for sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

20 (12) The assurance of market access for bio21 technology products, with the regulation of the prod22 ucts based solely on sound science.

23 (13) The accelerated resolution of trade dis24 putes and prompt enforcement of dispute panels of

25 the World Trade Organization.
4

•HRES 224 IH

1 (14) The provision of food security for import2 ing nations by ensuring access to supplies through

3 a commitment by World Trade Organization mem4 ber countries not to restrict or prohibit the export

5 of agricultural products.

6 (15) The resolution of labor and environmental

7 issues in a manner that facilitates, rather than re8 stricts, agricultural trade.

9 (16) The establishment of World Trade Organi10 zation rules that will allow developing countries to

11 graduate, using objective economic criteria, to full

12 participation in, and obligations under, the World

13 Trade Organization.

Æ