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104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3161

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

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,

3 SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

4 The Congress finds that—

5 (1) Romania emerged from years of brutal

6 Communist dictatorship in 1989 and approved a

7 new Constitution and elected a Parliament by 1991,

8 laying the foundation for a modern parliamentary

9 democracy charged with guaranteeing fundamental
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1 human rights, freedom of expression, and respect for

2 private property;

3 (2) local elections, parliamentary elections, and

4 presidential elections have been held in Romania,

5 and 1996 will mark the second nationwide presi6 dential elections under the new Constitution;

7 (3) Romania has undertaken significant eco8 nomic reforms, including the establishment of a two9 tier banking system, the introduction of a modern

10 tax system, the freeing of most prices and elimi11 nation of most subsidies, the adoption of a tariff12 based trade regime, and the rapid privatization of

13 industry and nearly all agriculture;

14 (4) Romania concluded a bilateral investment

15 treaty with the United States in 1993, and both

16 United States investment in Romania and bilateral

17 trade are increasing rapidly;

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

19 treatment since 1993, and has been found by the

20 President to be in full compliance with the freedom

21 of emigration requirements under title IV of the

22 Trade Act of 1974;

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

24 Organization and extension of unconditional most-fa25 vored-nation treatment to the products of Romania
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1 would enable the United States to avail itself of all

2 rights under the World Trade Organization with re3 spect to Romania; and

4 (7) Romania has demonstrated a strong desire

5 to build friendly relationships and to cooperate fully

6 with the United States on trade matters.

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

8 THE TRADE ACT OF 1974 TO ROMANIA.

9 (a) PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATIONS AND EXTEN10 SION OF NONDISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT.—Notwith11 standing any provision of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974

12 (19 U.S.C. 2431 et seq.), the President may—

13 (1) determine that such title should no longer

14 apply to Romania; and

15 (2) after making a determination under para16 graph (1), proclaim the extension of nondiscrim17 inatory treatment (most-favored-nation treatment)

18 to the products of that country.

19 (b) TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE IV.—

20 On and after the effective date of the extension under sub21 section (a)(2) of nondiscriminatory treatment to the prod22 ucts of Romania, title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 shall

23 cease to apply to that country.

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