Union Calendar No. 315

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3161

[Report No. 104–629]

A BILL

To authorize the extension of nondiscriminatory

products of Romania.treatment (most-favored-nation treatment) to the

JUNE 18, 1996

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the

State of the Union and ordered to be printed
IB

Union Calendar No. 315

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3161

[Report No. 104–629]

To authorize the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (most-favorednation treatment) to the products of Romania.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 26, 1996

Mr. CRANE (for himself, Mr. GIBBONS, and Mrs. KENNELLY) introduced the

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

JUNE 18, 1996

Additional sponsors: Mr. HOUGHTON, Mr. BEREUTER, Mr. MORAN, Mr. LANTOS, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Mr.

HAMILTON, Mr. EWING, Mr. FORBES, Mr. KOLBE, Mr. GORDON, and Mr.

MANZULLO

JUNE 18, 1996

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union

and ordered to be printed

A BILL

To authorize the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment

(most-favored-nation treatment) to the products of Romania.

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

2 The Congress finds that—

3 (1) Romania emerged from years of brutal

4 Communist dictatorship in 1989 and approved a

5 new Constitution and elected a Parliament by 1991,

6 laying the foundation for a modern parliamentary

7 democracy charged with guaranteeing fundamental

8 human rights, freedom of expression, and respect for

9 private property;

10 (2) local elections, parliamentary elections, and

11 presidential elections have been held in Romania,

12 and 1996 will mark the second nationwide presi13 dential elections under the new Constitution;

14 (3) Romania has undertaken significant eco15 nomic reforms, including the establishment of a two16 tier banking system, the introduction of a modern

17 tax system, the freeing of most prices and elimi18 nation of most subsidies, the adoption of a tariff19 based trade regime, and the rapid privatization of

20 industry and nearly all agriculture;

21 (4) Romania concluded a bilateral investment

22 treaty with the United States in 1993, and both

23 United States investment in Romania and bilateral

24 trade are increasing rapidly;

25 (5) Romania has received most-favored-nation

26 treatment since 1993, and has been found by the
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1 President to be in full compliance with the freedom

2 of emigration requirements under title IV of the

3 Trade Act of 1974;

4 (6) Romania is a member of the World Trade

5 Organization and extension of unconditional most-fa6 vored-nation treatment to the products of Romania

7 would enable the United States to avail itself of all

8 rights under the World Trade Organization with re9 spect to Romania; and

10 (7) Romania has demonstrated a strong desire

11 to build friendly relationships and to cooperate fully

12 with the United States on trade matters.

13 SEC. 2. TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE IV OF

14 THE TRADE ACT OF 1974 TO ROMANIA.

15 (a) PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATIONS AND EXTEN16 SION OF NONDISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT.—Notwith17 standing any provision of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974

18 (19 U.S.C. 2431 et seq.), the President may—

19 (1) determine that such title should no longer

20 apply to Romania; and

21 (2) after making a determination under para22 graph (1), proclaim the extension of nondiscrim23 inatory treatment (most-favored-nation treatment)

24 to the products of that country.
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1 (b) TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE IV.—

2 On and after the effective date of the extension under sub3 section (a)(2) of nondiscriminatory treatment to the prod4 ucts of Romania, title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 shall

5 cease to apply to that country.