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Union Calendar No. 103

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 17

[Report No. 106–154, Parts I and II]

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

MAY 20, 1999

Reported from the Committee on Agriculture

MAY 20, 1999

Referral to the Committee on International Relations extended for a period

ending not later than June 11, 1999

JUNE 11, 1999

Referral to the Committee on International Relations extended for a period

ending not later than June 14, 1999

JUNE 14, 1999

Additional sponsors: Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma, Mr. GUTKNECHT, Mr.

MCHUGH, Mr. SKELTON, Mr. JOHN, Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma, Mr.

HASTINGS of Washington, Ms. DANNER, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mr. LEACH,
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Mr. HILL of Montana, Mr. PHELPS, Mr. LATHAM, Mr. NEY, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. BRYANT, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. TURNER, Mr. NUSSLE, Mr. TERRY, Mr. DICKEY, Mr. HULSHOF, Mr.

BOEHNER, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mr. POMEROY, and Mr. SCHAFFER

JUNE 14, 1999

Reported from the Committee on International Relations; committed to the

Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered

to be printed

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,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

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

5 Embargoes Act of 1999’’.

6 SEC. 2. REPORTING ON SELECTIVE EMBARGOES.

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

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

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

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

11 pursuant to statutory authority, to embargo the export

12 under an export sales contract (as defined in subsection

13 (e)) of an agricultural commodity to a country that is not
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1 part of an embargo on all exports to the country, not later

2 than 5 days after imposing the embargo, the President

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

4 the reasons for the embargo and specifies the proposed

5 period during which the embargo will be effective.

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

7 approving the embargo becomes law during the 100-day

8 period beginning on the date of receipt of the report pro9 vided for in subsection (a), the embargo shall terminate

10 on the earlier of—

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

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

13 enactment of the joint resolution approving the em14 bargo.

15 ‘‘(c) DISAPPROVAL OF EMBARGO.—If a joint resolu16 tion disapproving the embargo becomes law during the

17 100-day period referred to in subsection (b), the embargo

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

19 ‘‘(d) EXCEPTION.—Notwithstanding any other provi20 sion of this section, an embargo may take effect and con21 tinue in effect during any period in which the United

22 States is in a state of war declared by Congress or na23 tional emergency, requiring such action, declared by the

24 President.

25 ‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section—
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1 ‘‘(1) the term ‘agricultural commodity’ includes

2 plant nutrient materials;

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

4 means under an export sales contract entered into

5 before the President has transmitted to Congress no6 tice of the proposed embargo; and

7 ‘‘(3) the term ‘embargo’ includes any prohibi8 tion or curtailment.’’.

9 SEC. 3. ADDITION OF PLANT NUTRIENT MATERIALS TO

10 PROTECTION OF CONTRACT SANCTITY.

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

12 (7 U.S.C. 5712(c)) is amended by inserting ‘‘(including

13 plant nutrient materials)’’ after ‘‘agricultural commodity’’

14 each place it appears.

Union Calendar No. 103

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 17

[Report No. 106–154, Parts I and II]

A BILL

To amend the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to

sanctity, and for other purposes.bargo, to provide greater assurances for contractities, to provide a termination date for the emany selective embargo on agricultural commodrequire the President to report to Congress on

JUNE 14, 1999

Reported from the Committee on International Relations;

the State of the Union and ordered to be printedcommitted to the Committee of the Whole House on