I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3825
To provide the people of Iraq with access to food and medicines from the
United States, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 2, 2000
Mr. CONYERS (for himself, Mr. CAMPBELL, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. RYAN of
Wisconsin, and Ms. LOFGREN) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on International Relations
A BILL
To provide the people of Iraq with access to food and
medicines from the United States, and for other purposes.
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 ‘‘Humanitarian Exports
Leading to Peace Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The Iraqi people suffered under a decade of
war and continue to suffer under a repressive regime
and the most comprehensive economic sanctions ever
imposed on any country.
(2) The economic sanctions have caused ex-
traordinary hardship on the people of Iraq and failed
to weaken the leadership of Iraq, and have under-
mined the institutions of civil society which are nec-
essary for democratic political life.
(3) The investigative panel established by the
United Nations Security Council and other inde-
pendent bodies have confirmed that the United Na-
tions Oil-for-Food program has failed to adequately
meet the needs of the Iraqi people.
(4) According to the United States Department
of Agriculture, Iraq represents a potential market
for nearly $1,000,000,000 in agricultural products
from the United States.
(5) The sanctions regime continues to harm the
Iraqi population for the crimes of its leaders and has
not served either the goal of the United States of
punishing Iraq’s leaders or disarming weapons of
mass destruction.
(6) Rigorous weapons inspections and adequate
provision for civilian needs in Iraq are not mutually
exclusive.
(7) The devastating effect of the economic sanc-
tions on Iraq has been reported by numerous inter-
national and independent bodies, including the fol-
lowing:
(A) The Center for Economic and Social
Rights of the United Nations documented dra-
matic increases in malnutrition and disease,
leading to the deaths of hundreds of thousands
of children under the age of 5 since 1991.
(B) UNICEF reported in 1995 that ‘‘no
significant movement towards food security can
be achieved so long as the embargo remains in
place’’. Further, despite the Oil-for-Food Pro-
gram, UNICEF reported in July 1999 survey
findings that ‘‘Both the infant mortality rate
and the under-five mortality rate consistently
show a major increase in mortality over the 10
years preceding the survey. More specifically,
the results show that the infant mortality rate
has increased from 47 deaths per 1,000 live
births for the period 1984–89, to 108 deaths
per 1,000 live births for the period 1994–99.’’.
(C) A report authorized by the United Na-
tional Security Council on March 30, 1999,
found that ‘‘the gravity of the humanitarian sit-
uation of the Iraqi people is indisputable and
cannot be overstated.’’. Further, it emphasized
that ‘‘Even if not all suffering in Iraq can be
imputed to external factors, especially sanc-
tions, the Iraqi people would not be undergoing
such deprivations in the absence of the pro-
longed measures imposed by the Security Coun-
cil and the effects of the war’’.
(D) UNICEF and the World Food Pro-
gram found in 1997 that ‘‘One out of every 4
young Iraqi children is malnourished. More
than 750,000 children are suffering from mal-
nutrition’’.
SEC. 3. LIMITATION ON PROHIBITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS
ON TRADE WITH IRAQ TO ALLOW FOR THE
EXPORT OF FOOD, MEDICINES, AND CERTAIN
OTHER PRODUCTS.
The sanctions applied with respect to Iraq under the
Iraq Sanctions Act of 1990 (sections 586–586J of the
Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Pro-
grams Appropriations Act, 1991 (Public Law 101–513))
or any other provision of law shall not apply with respect
to the export of any food or other agricultural products
(including fertilizer), medicines, medical supplies, medical
instruments, or medical equipment, or with respect to
travel incident to the sale or delivery of food or other agri-
cultural products (including fertilizer), medicines, medical
supplies, medical instruments, or medical equipment, to
Iraq.
SEC. 4. EXCEPTIONS.
Section 3 shall not apply—
(1) to restrictions imposed under section 5 or 6
of the Export Administration Act of 1979 (as in ef-
fect pursuant to the International Emergency Eco-
nomic Powers Act) on goods by virtue of the tech-
nology incorporated in such goods; and
(2) to restrictions imposed under section 203 of
the International Emergency Economic Powers Act
on the export of medical instruments or medical
equipment to deal with a threat to the national secu-
rity of the United States by virtue of the technology
incorporated in such medical instruments or equip-
ment.
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION BY SECRETARY OF COMMERCE.
(a) ADMINISTRATION
BY
SECRETARY
OF
COM-
MERCE.—The Secretary of Commerce shall exercise the
authorities of the Export Administration Act of 1979, as
in effect pursuant to the International Emergency Eco-
nomic Powers Act, to carry out sections 3 and 4, except
that—
(1) the Secretary may not require a license for
the export of any of the items to which section 3 ap-
plies; but
(2) the Secretary shall require persons export-
ing such items to notify the Secretary of such ex-
ports.
(b) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of Commerce
shall issue such regulations as are necessary to carry out
sections 3 and 4.
SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of the Congress that the United States
Government should take all necessary steps to end the suf-
fering of innocent populations, primarily children and the
elderly, by allowing the free flow of humanitarian aid to
Iraq without threat of prosecution. Such steps should in-
clude, but not be limited to, using its position as a perma-
nent member of the United Nations Security Council to
pass all such measures as may be required for the imple-
mentation of section 3 of this Act.
SEC. 7. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Not later than 6 months after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the President shall transmit to the Con-
gress a report that sets forth—
(1) the extent (expressed in volume and dollar
amounts) of sales to Iraq of food and other agricul-
in the Middle East a zone free from weapons of
mass destruction’’.
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