I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3685 

To direct the United States Trade Representative to initiate negotiations 

with the Government of the Republic of Turkey to seek to enter into 

a bilateral free trade agreement with Turkey. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 6, 2015 

Mr. MOONEY of West Virginia introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 

A BILL 

To direct the United States Trade Representative to initiate 

negotiations with the Government of the Republic of 

Turkey to seek to enter into a bilateral free trade agreement with Turkey. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may cited as the ‘‘United States-Turkey 

5 Free Trade Promotion Act of 2015’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 3685 IH

1 (1) The friendship between the United States 

2 and the Republic of Turkey dates back to 1831, 

3 when the United States formed diplomatic ties with 

4 the Ottoman Empire. 

5 (2) Modern diplomatic relations between the 

6 United States and Turkey date back nearly a cen7 tury to 1927. 

8 (3) Turkey has been a member country of the 

9 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) since 

10 1952. 

11 (4) Turkey is a democratic, secular, unitary, 

12 constitutional republic, with an ancient cultural her13 itage and westward-looking future. 

14 (5) Turkey is the 18th largest economy in the 

15 world and a founding member of the Organisation 

16 for Economic Co-operation and Development 

17 (OECD), World Trade Organization (WTO), and 

18 the Group of Twenty (G–20). 

19 (6) Turkey continues to be a critical strategic 

20 ally to the United States as a Western Eurasian 

21 country adjacent to Iran, Iraq, and Syria. 

22 (7) The economic viability of Turkey brings es23 sential strength and stability to the region. 

24 (8) Turkey is currently a party to 18 free trade 

25 agreements, 16 of them entered into force over the 


smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 3685 IH

1 past 15 years, during which time Turkey’s Gross 

2 Domestic Product has more than tripled. 

3 (9) Turkey’s trade volume with the European 

4 Union is $150 billion as of 2014 while Turkey’s 

5 trade volume with the United States is only $19.4 

6 billion, reflecting a tremendous growth opportunity. 

7 (10) From 2001 to 2014, Turkey’s imports 

8 posted a 584-percent increase and imports from free 

9 trade agreement countries increased by 537 percent. 

10 (11) Turkey is in negotiations to enter into free 

11 trade agreements with several additional partners, 

12 including Japan, Mexico, Singapore, MERCOSUR, 

13 and the Gulf Cooperation Council. 

14 (12) United States exports account for 5.3 per15 cent of goods that enter Turkey. 

16 (13) There is significant opportunity to improve 

17 the free flow of goods and services between the 

18 United States and Turkey. 

19 (14) Closer relations with Turkey through free 

20 trade agreements would encourage further privatiza21 tion in Turkey’s economy. 

22 (15) A free trade agreement between the 

23 United States and Turkey will foster economic and 

24 commercial cooperation and strengthen ties with 


smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 3685 IH

1 Turkey, increase bilateral investment opportunities, 

2 and contribute to jobs created for American workers. 

3 SEC. 3. NEGOTIATIONS TO SEEK TO ENTER INTO A BILAT4 ERAL FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH THE 

5 REPUBLIC OF TURKEY. 

6 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact7 ment of this Act, the United States Trade Representative 

8 shall initiate negotiations with the Government of the Re9 public of Turkey to seek to enter into a bilateral free trade 

10 agreement with Turkey that, among other things, pro11 motes the exportation and importation of natural re12 sources, including coal, between the United States and 

13 Turkey. 

Æ 


smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS