I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3195

To extend normal trade relations treatment to the products of the Lao 

People’s Democratic Republic. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2003

Ms. MCCOLLUM (for herself and Mr. MATSUI) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 

A BILL

To extend normal trade relations treatment to the products 

of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

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

3 SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS. 

4 The Congress finds that—

5 (1) the Lao People’s Democratic Republic is 

6 pursuing a broad policy of adopting market-based 

7 reforms to enhance its economic competitiveness and 

8 achieve an attractive climate for investment; 

9 (2) extension of normal trade relations treat10 ment would assist the Lao People’s Democratic Re-
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1 public in developing its economy based on free mar2 ket principles and becoming competitive in the global 

3 marketplace; 

4 (3) establishing normal commercial relations on 

5 a reciprocal basis with the Lao People’s Democratic 

6 Republic will promote United States exports to the 

7 rapidly growing Southeast Asian region and expand 

8 opportunities for United States business and invest9 ment in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic econ10 omy; 

11 (4) United States and Laotian commercial in12 terests would benefit from the bilateral trade agree13 ment between the United States and the Lao Peo14 ple’s Democratic Republic, signed in 2003, providing 

15 for market access and the protection of intellectual 

16 property rights; 

17 (5) the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has 

18 taken cooperative steps with the United States in 

19 the global war on terrorism, combating the traf20 ficking of narcotics, and the accounting for Amer21 ican servicemen and civilians still missing from the 

22 Vietnam war; and 

23 (6) the United States is committed to a multi24 faceted engagement with the Lao People’s Demo25 cratic Republic and the people of Laos by continuing 
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1 to monitor, promote, and encourage further progress 

2 by the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on human 

3 rights, religious tolerance, democratic rule of law, 

4 and transparency, and assist that country in adopt5 ing regional and world trading rules and principles, 

6 as well as international labor standards. 

7 SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF NONDISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT 

8 TO THE PRODUCTS OF THE LAO PEOPLE’S 

9 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC. 

10 (a) HARMONIZED TARIFF SCHEDULE AMEND11 MENT.—General note 3(b) of the Harmonized Tariff 

12 Schedule of the United States is amended by striking 

13 ‘‘Laos’’. 

14 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

15 subsection (a) applies with respect to goods entered, or 

16 withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 

17 the effective date of a notice published in the Federal Reg18 ister by the United States Trade Representative that a 

19 trade agreement obligating reciprocal most-favored-nation 

20 treatment between the Lao People’s Democratic Republic 

21 and the United States has entered into force.

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