IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 54 

Expressing support for strengthening engagement between the United States 

and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 18, 2017 

Mr. BRADY of Texas (for himself, Mr. NEAL, and Mr. REICHERT) submitted 

the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and 

Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for strengthening engagement between 

the United States and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. 

Whereas the United States and the other members of the 

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (in this preamble referred to as ‘‘APEC’’) have, since 1989, worked collaboratively to advance commercial and trade interests in the 

Asia-Pacific region; 

Whereas the Asia-Pacific region accounts for 41 percent of 

the world’s population, 54 percent of the world’s gross 

domestic product, and 44 percent of the world’s trade; 

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•HCON 54 IH 

Whereas expanding trade and investment between the United 

States and the Asia-Pacific region has created new commercial opportunities and jobs in the United States; 

Whereas United States businesses in the Asia-Pacific region 

face obstacles to doing business in the region as a result 

of tariff and nontariff barriers, including discriminatory 

policies and regulations; 

Whereas strengthening trade and investment between the 

United States and other APEC members and addressing 

tariff and nontariff barriers to United States exports has 

the potential to benefit United States businesses, manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, workers, and consumers; 

Whereas APEC was established as a regional economic forum 

to leverage the growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific region to create greater prosperity for the people of 

the region and serves as a forum for the United States 

to address business concerns, promote high standards, 

and facilitate economic growth in the region; 

Whereas APEC contributes to United States economic policies that promote fairness, due process, and the rule of 

law by supporting trade rules embodied in the World 

Trade Organization (in this preamble referred to as the 

‘‘WTO’’) and the establishment of new WTO commitments, developing model measures for high quality trade 

agreements in the Asia-Pacific region, encouraging coherence in regulations and standards in the region, and encouraging policies to promote development of the digital 

economy; and 

Whereas the APEC Leaders’ Meeting in November 2017 in 

Da Nang, Vietnam, and preparatory meetings at the 

ministerial level, including the meeting in May 2017 of 

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the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade, provide important opportunities to demonstrate to the world the 

commitment of the United States to increasing prosperity 

and security in the Asia-Pacific region: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that— 

3 (1) the continuing success of the Asia-Pacific 

4 Economic Cooperation (in this resolution referred to 

5 as ‘‘APEC’’) is in the national economic interest of 

6 the United States; 

7 (2) APEC should be a part of the diplomatic 

8 and economic strategy of the United States for the 

9 Asia-Pacific region; and 

10 (3) the United States should continue to engage 

11 APEC in promoting economic growth through the 

12 adoption of rules-based policies to strengthen trade 

13 and investment between the United States and other 

14 APEC members. 

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