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106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 17

To amend the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to require the President

to report to Congress on any selective embargo on agricultural commodities, to provide a termination date for the embargo, to provide greater

assurances for contract sanctity, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 6, 1999

Mr. EWING (for himself, Mr. COMBEST, Mr. STENHOLM, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr.

CONDIT, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. MINGE, Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska, Mr.

MORAN of Kansas, Mr. BEREUTER, Mr. THUNE, Mr. SMITH of Michigan,

Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky, Mr. WELLER,

Mr. CANADY of Florida, Mr. KOLBE, Mr. NETHERCUTT, and Mr. WALDEN of Oregon) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on International relations, 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

A BILL

To amend the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to require

the President to report to Congress on any selective

embargo on agricultural commodities, to provide a termination date for the embargo, to provide greater assurances for contract sanctity, and for other purposes.

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. SHORT TITLE.

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Selective Agricultural

3 Embargoes Act of 1999’’.

4 SEC. 2. REPORTING ON SELECTIVE EMBARGOES.

5 The Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5711

6 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end of title VI:

7 ‘‘SEC. 604. REPORTING ON SELECTIVE EMBARGOES.

8 ‘‘(a) REPORT.—If the President takes any action,

9 pursuant to statutory authority, to embargo the export

10 under an export sales contract (as defined in subsection

11 (e)) of an agricultural commodity to a country that is not

12 part of an embargo on all exports to the country, not later

13 than 5 days after imposing the embargo, the President

14 shall submit a report to Congress that sets forth in detail

15 the reasons for the embargo and specifies the proposed

16 period during which the embargo will be effective.

17 ‘‘(b) APPROVAL OF EMBARGO.—If a joint resolution

18 approving the embargo becomes law during the 100-day

19 period beginning on the date of receipt of the report pro20 vided for in subsection (a), the embargo shall terminate

21 on the earlier of—

22 ‘‘(1) a date determined by the President; or

23 ‘‘(2) the date that is 1 year after the date of

24 enactment of the joint resolution approving the em25 bargo.
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1 ‘‘(c) DISAPPROVAL OF EMBARGO.—If a joint resolu2 tion disapproving the embargo becomes law during the

3 100-day period referred to in subsection (b), the embargo

4 shall terminate on the expiration of the 100-day period.

5 ‘‘(d) EXCEPTION.—Notwithstanding any other provi6 sion of this section, an embargo may take effect and con7 tinue in effect during any period in which the United

8 States is in a state of war declared by Congress or na9 tional emergency, requiring such action, declared by the

10 President.

11 ‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section—

12 ‘‘(1) the term ‘agricultural commodity’ includes

13 plant nutrient materials;

14 ‘‘(2) the term ‘under an export sales contract’

15 means under an export sales contract entered into

16 before the President has transmitted to Congress no17 tice of the proposed embargo; and

18 ‘‘(3) the term ‘embargo’ includes any prohibi19 tion or curtailment.’’.

20 SEC. 3. ADDITION OF PLANT NUTRIENT MATERIALS TO

21 PROTECTION OF CONTRACT SANCTITY.

22 Section 602(c) of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978

23 (7 U.S.C. 5712(c)) is amended by inserting ‘‘(including
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1 plant nutrient materials)’’ after ‘‘agricultural commodity’’

2 each place it appears.

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