II

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 2106

A bill to increase internationally the exchange and availability of information

regarding biotechnology and to coordinate a Federal strategy in order

to advance the benefits of biotechnology, particularly in agriculture.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

FEBRUARY 24, 2000

Mr. ASHCROFT introduced the following bill; which was read twice and

referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

A BILL

A bill to increase internationally the exchange and availability

of information regarding biotechnology and to coordinate

a Federal strategy in order to advance the benefits of

biotechnology, particularly in agriculture.

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 title may be cited as the ‘‘Advancing the Global

5 Opportunities for Biotechnology in Agriculture Act of

6 2000’’.

7 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

8 Congress makes the following findings:
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1 (1) Biotechnology in the agricultural sector

2 holds the prospect for substantial benefits to man3 kind in a number of critical areas.

4 (2) Enhanced crop yields resulting from the use

5 of agricultural biotechnology will help in feeding a

6 growing world population, especially in developing

7 countries.

8 (3) Healthier bio-engineered foods will assist in

9 combating diseases specific to the developing world

10 that arise from vitamin and other nutritional defi11 ciencies.

12 (4) Pest and disease resistant crops developed

13 through biotechnology will preserve and improve the

14 environment by reducing the need for herbicides and

15 pesticides.

16 (5) Greater agricultural yields will preserve the

17 environment by minimizing the need for additional

18 farmland to feed and clothe the world’s growing pop19 ulation.

20 (6) Ensuring that these benefits, the underlying

21 scientific information, and the regulatory framework

22 for managing this technology are shared globally is

23 imperative and should be an integral part of United

24 States foreign assistance programs.
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1 SEC. 3. INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Of the funds appropriated to

3 carry out sections 103 through 106, and chapter 10 of

4 part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for fiscal

5 years 2001–2002, $6,000,000 is authorized to be appro6 priated to the Agency for International Development for

7 programs and projects designed to educate government of8 ficials in developing countries regarding the use of bio9 technology in the agricultural sector and the regulatory

10 procedures used by the United States with respect to agri11 cultural products using biotechnology. The programs and

12 activities shall encourage acceptance by those countries of

13 products approved under the United States regulatory sys14 tem or, in the case of countries who choose to establish

15 a national regulatory system based on science, to encour16 age adoption of domestic approval processes based on ob17 jective scientific principles. The programs and activities

18 shall include the following:

19 (1) TECHNICAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM FOR FOR20 EIGN OFFICIALS.—The Agency for International De21 velopment shall carry out a technical exchange pro22 gram that brings to the United States appropriate

23 foreign officials for the purpose of educating them

24 about the scientific process underlying biotechnology

25 and the regulatory approval system employed in the

26 United States for biotechnology products, and to
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1 seek answers to any questions they or their citizens

2 may have regarding the safety of biotechnology, par3 ticularly in agricultural products.

4 (2) TECHNICAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM FOR

5 UNITED STATES BIOTECHNOLOGY EXPERTS.—The

6 Agency for International Development shall carry

7 out a technical exchange program that sends United

8 States experts in the field of biotechnology in the ag9 riculture sector to foreign capitals to provide infor10 mation on the scientific process underlying bio11 technology, the regulatory approval system employed

12 in the United States to approve agricultural prod13 ucts produced with biotechnology, and to respond to

14 any questions the officials in foreign countries or

15 their citizens may have regarding the safety of bio16 technology, particularly in the agriculture sector.

17 SEC. 4. DEVELOPMENT OF EXPERTISE IN BIOTECHNOLOGY

18 IN THE AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVEL19 OPMENT.

20 In order to carry out the programs and activities in

21 section ll, the Agency for International Development

22 shall establish a group of experts within the agency to

23 carry out these programs. To maximize its effectiveness,

24 this group should draw on the expertise, as appropriate,

25 of regulatory officials in the Environmental Protection
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1 Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, and the

2 United States Department of Agriculture, as well as ap3 propriate officials from the Department of State.

4 SEC. 5. COORDINATED FEDERAL STRATEGY.

5 (a) COORDINATION.—The President shall establish

6 an interagency process for all relevant executive branch

7 agencies, including the United States Department of Agri8 culture, the Office of the United States Trade Representa9 tive, the Department of State, the Agency for Inter10 national Development, the Department of Commerce, the

11 Food and Drug Administration, and the Environmental

12 Protection Agency, to coordinate efforts and to generate

13 support for the acceptance of agricultural biotechnology.

14 United States policies must stress the prominence of

15 science as the foundation for regulatory decision-making

16 and work aggressively in international fora such as the

17 World Trade Organization, the Organization for Economic

18 Cooperation and Development, the World Health Organi19 zation, including its CODEX Alimentarius, and the

20 United Nations, to advocate for science-based decision

21 making.

22 (b) STANDARDS FOR FOOD AID.—The Agency for

23 International Development and the United States Depart24 ment of Agriculture should work to ensure that all food

25 and grain products that meet United States health and
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1 safety requirements are acceptable to foreign countries

2 under relevant food aid programs.

3 SEC. 6. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.

4 It is the Sense of the Congress that the Secretary

5 of State should work with United States embassies abroad

6 to develop bilateral support from foreign governments for

7 the approval of science-based trading regimes in multilat8 eral forums and organizations.

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