I

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 4710

To require the inclusion of provisions relating to worker rights and environmental standards in any trade agreement entered into under any future

trade negotiating authority.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 30, 1994

Mr. SANDERS (for himself, Mr. BONIOR, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. BROWN of California, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. HINCHEY, Mrs.

BENTLEY, Mr. EVANS, Mr. DELLUMS, and Mr. OLVER) introduced the

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

A BILL

To require the inclusion of provisions relating to worker

rights and environmental standards in any trade agreement entered into under any future trade negotiating

authority.

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 be cited as the ‘‘Fair International

5 Standards in Trade (FIST) Act’’.
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1 SEC. 2. REQUIREMENTS FOR FUTURE TRADE AGREE2 MENTS.

3 The authority of the President to enter into any trade

4 agreement under subsection (b) or (c) of section 1102 of

5 the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (19

6 U.S.C. 2902) after October 1, 1994, or other authority

7 provided by statute to enter into trade agreements to

8 which such subsections apply, may be exercised only if the

9 trade agreement contains provisions that require each

10 party to the agreement to—

11 (1) adopt and enforce laws to afford inter12 nationally recognized worker rights to workers in

13 that country (including any designated zone in that

14 country);

15 (2) adopt and enforce laws to promote respect

16 for internationally recognized environmental stand17 ards in that country (including any designated zone

18 in that country; and

19 (3) treat as an actionable unfair trade practice

20 the systematic denial or practical nullification denial

21 of internationally recognized worker rights or inter22 nationally recognized environmental standards as a

23 means for any signatory country or its industries to

24 gain a competitive advantage in international trade,

25 commerce, or finance.
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1 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

2 For purposes of this Act—

3 (1) the term ‘‘internationally-recognized worker

4 rights’’ has the meaning given that term in section

5 502(a)(4) of the Trade Act of 1974;

6 (2) the term ‘‘internationally-recognized envi7 ronmental standards’’ includes—

8 (A) mitigation of global climate change;

9 (B) reduction in the consumption and pro10 duction of ozone-depleting substances;

11 (C) reduction in ship pollution of the

12 oceans from such sources as oil, noxious bulk

13 liquids, hazardous freight, sewage, and garbage;

14 (D) ban on international ocean dumping of

15 high-level radioactive waste, chemical warfare

16 agents, and hazardous substances;

17 (E) government control of the

18 transboundary movement of hazardous waste

19 materials and their disposal for the purpose of

20 reducing global pollution on account of such

21 materials;

22 (F) preservation of endangered species;

23 (G) conservation of biological diversity;

24 (H) promotion of biodiversity; and

25 (I) preparation of oil-spill contingency

26 plans; and
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1 (3) the term ‘‘actionable unfair trade practice’’

2 means, under the laws of the United States, an act,

3 policy, or practice that, under section 301 of the

4 Trade Act of 1974, is unjustifiable and burdens or

5 restricts United States commerce.

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