Union Calendar No. 107
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 434
[Report No. 106–19, Parts I and II]
A BILL
To authorize a new trade and investment policy for
sub-Sahara Africa.
JUNE 17, 1999
Reported from the Committee on Ways and Means with
an amendment
JUNE 17, 1999
The Committee on Banking and Financial Services dis-
charged; committed to the Committee on the Whole
House on the State of the Union and ordered to be
printed
IB
Union Calendar No. 107
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 434
[Report No. 106–19, Parts I and II]
To authorize a new trade and investment policy for sub-Sahara Africa.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 2, 1999
Mr. CRANE (for himself, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. ROYCE, Mr.
DREIER, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. HOUGHTON, Mr. GILMAN,
Mr. LEVIN, Mr. BAKER, Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska, Mr. BEREUTER, Mr.
BILBRAY, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. BOEHNER, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Ms.
BROWN of Florida, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. CHABOT, Ms. CHRISTIAN-
CHRISTENSEN, Mr. DICKS, Ms. DUNN, Mr. EHLERS, Mr. ENGLISH, Mr.
EWING, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. FORD, Mr.
HALL of Ohio, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mrs. JOHNSON of Con-
necticut, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. KNOLLENBERG, Mr.
KOLBE, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. MATSUI, Ms. MCCARTHY of
Missouri, Mr. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCINNIS, Mr. MCINTOSH, Mr. MCNULTY,
Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. GARY MILLER of California, Mr. MORAN
of Virginia, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Mr. OWENS, Mr. PETRI, Mr.
PORTMAN, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. RAMSTAD, Mr. SALMON, Mr. SES-
SIONS, Mr. SHOWS, Mr. SNYDER, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Mr.
THOMAS, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. WOLF, and Mr. WYNN) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on International Rela-
tions, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Bank-
ing and Financial Services, 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
FEBRUARY 16, 1999
Reported from the Committtee on International Relations with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
FEBRUARY 16, 1999
Referral to the Committees on Ways and Means and Banking and Financial
Services extended for a period ending not later than February 26, 1999
FEBRUARY 26, 1999
Referral to the Committees on Ways and Means and Banking and Financial
Services extended for a period ending not later than April 30, 1999
APRIL 30, 1999
Referral to the Committees on Ways and Means and Banking and Financial
Services extended for a period ending not later than May 21, 1999
MAY 21, 1999
Referral to the Committees on Ways and Means and Banking and Financial
Services extended for a period ending not later than June 11, 1999
JUNE 11, 1999
Referral to the Committees on Ways and Means and Banking and Financial
Services extended for a period ending not later than June 15, 1999
JUNE 15, 1999
Referral to the Committees on Ways and Means and Banking and Financial
Services extended for a period ending not later than June 16, 1999
JUNE 16, 1999
Referral to the Committees on Ways and Means and Banking and Financial
Services extended for a period ending not later than June 17, 1999
JUNE 17, 1999
Reported from the Committee on Ways and Means with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in boldface roman]
JUNE 17, 1999
Additional sponsors: Mr. HILLIARD, Mr. CAMP, Mr. SHAW, Mr. DIXON, Mr.
RUSH, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. DELAY, Mr. DAVIS of Florida, Mr. DOO-
LITTLE, Mr. PORTER, Mrs. MEEKS of Florida, Mr. SHAYS, Ms. EDDIE
BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, and Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD
Deleted sponsors: Mr. SHOWS (added February 2, 1999; deleted March 23,
1999) and Mr. STRICKLAND (added February 2, 1999; deleted February
25, 1999)
JUNE 17, 1999
The Committee on Banking and Financial Services discharged; committed to
the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and
ordered to be printed
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 2, 1999]
A BILL
To authorize a new trade and investment policy for sub-
Sahara Africa.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘African Growth and
Opportunity Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that it is in the mutual economic
interest of the United States and sub-Saharan Africa to
promote stable and sustainable economic growth and devel-
opment in sub-Saharan Africa and that sustained economic
growth in sub-Saharan Africa depends in large measure
upon the development of a receptive environment for trade
and investment. To that end, the United States seeks to fa-
cilitate market-led economic growth in, and thereby the so-
cial and economic development of, the countries of sub-Sa-
haran Africa. In particular, the United States seeks to as-
sist sub-Saharan African countries, and the private sector
in those countries, to achieve economic self-reliance by—
(1) strengthening and expanding the private sec-
tor in sub-Saharan Africa, especially women-owned
businesses;
(2) encouraging increased trade and investment
between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa;
(3) reducing tariff and nontariff barriers and
other trade obstacles;
(4) expanding United States assistance to sub-
Saharan Africa’s regional integration efforts;
(5) negotiating free trade areas;
(6) establishing a United States-Sub-Saharan
Africa Trade and Investment Partnership;
(7) focusing on countries committed to account-
able government, economic reform, and the eradi-
cation of poverty;
(8) establishing a United States-Sub-Saharan
Africa Economic Cooperation Forum; and
(9) continuing to support development assistance
for those countries in sub-Saharan Africa attempting
to build civil societies.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
The Congress supports economic self-reliance for sub-
Saharan African countries, particularly those committed
to—
(1) economic and political reform;
(2) market incentives and private sector growth;
(3) the eradication of poverty; and
(4) the importance of women to economic growth
and development.
SEC. 4. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—A sub-Saharan African country
shall be eligible to participate in programs, projects, or ac-
tivities, or receive assistance or other benefits under this Act
if the President determines that the country does not engage
in gross violations of internationally recognized human
rights and has established, or is making continual progress
toward establishing, a market-based economy, such as the
establishment and enforcement of appropriate policies relat-
ing to—
(1) promoting free movement of goods and serv-
ices between the United States and sub-Saharan Afri-
ca and among countries in sub-Saharan Africa;
(2) promoting the expansion of the production
base and the transformation of commodities and non-
traditional products for exports through joint venture
projects between African and foreign investors;
(3) trade issues, such as protection of intellectual
property rights, improvements in standards, testing,
labeling and certification, and government procure-
ment;
(4) the protection of property rights, such as pro-
tection against expropriation and a functioning and
fair judicial system;
(5) the protection of internationally recognized
worker rights, including the right of association, the
right to organize and bargain collectively, a prohibi-
tion on the use of any form of forced or compulsory
labor, a minimum age for the employment of chil-
dren, and acceptable conditions of work with respect
to minimum wages, hours of work, and occupational
safety and health;
(6) appropriate fiscal systems, such as reducing
high import and corporate taxes, controlling govern-
ment consumption, participation in bilateral invest-
ment treaties, and the harmonization of such treaties
to avoid double taxation;
(7) foreign investment issues, such as the provi-
sion of national treatment for foreign investors, re-
moving restrictions on investment, and other meas-
ures to create an environment conducive to domestic
and foreign investment;
(8) supporting the growth of regional markets
within a free trade area framework;
(9) governance issues, such as eliminating gov-
ernment corruption, minimizing government inter-