I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2112
To provide for the development and implementation of a national strategy
to encourage and promote opportunities for the United States private
sector to provide environmentally sound technology (including marine
biotechnology), goods, and services to the global market, and for other
purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 12, 1993
Mr. STUDDS (for himself, Ms. FURSE, Mr. OLVER, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr.
LAUGHLIN, Mrs. UNSOELD, Mr. MANTON, Mr. HUGHES, Mr. LAN-
CASTER, Ms. ESHOO, and Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi) introduced the
following bill; which was referred jointly to the Committees on Foreign
Affairs and Merchant Marine and Fisheries
A BILL
To provide for the development and implementation of a
national strategy to encourage and promote opportunities
for the United States private sector to provide environ-
mentally sound technology (including marine bio-
technology), goods, and services to the global market,
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 ‘‘National Environ-
mental Trade Development Act of 1993’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The global market for environmental tech-
nology (including marine biotechnology), goods, and
services, is now $270,000,000,000, and is estimated
to grow to $500,000,000,000 by the year 2000.
(2) The global environmental market has been
stimulated by the increased environmental awareness
of developing nations, the emergence of new repub-
lics in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe,
increased public awareness of the importance of en-
vironmental protection, and the actions taken by na-
tions at the United Nations Conference on Environ-
ment and Development, which was held at Rio de
Janeiro on June 3–15, 1992.
(3) The United Nations Conference on Environ-
ment and Development adopted ‘‘Agenda 21’’, which
calls on all nations to develop and implement na-
tional strategies for sustainable development of their
natural resources, including the wise use of their
ocean and coastal resources, and urges developed
countries to enter into technology cooperation ar-
rangements with developing countries for the provi-
sion of environmentally sound technologies.
(4) The United States private sector has devel-
oped regional clusters of environmental businesses,
nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions
in response to United States environmental laws and
regulations.
(5) The United States historically has domi-
nated in the development of environmentally sound
technology (including marine biotechnology), goods,
and services, but has never gained a corresponding
share of the market outside of the United States, in
part because other countries have more extensive
programs to assist the private sector in environ-
mental export promotion.
(6) Experts estimate that the United States
private sector could create over 300,000 new jobs by
the year 2000 based on an increased share of the
global market for environmental technology.
(7) At least 12 Federal agencies have some type
of export promotion program, but no single agency
has overall responsibility for export promotion and
no agency is clearly responsible for the promotion of
environmental technology exports.
(8) Promoting United States environmental ex-
ports to the global market will create jobs, assist na-
tions to implement sustainable development pro-
grams, including the wise use of ocean and coastal
resources, and enhance the role of the United States
as a leader in global environmental policy.
SEC. 3. POLICY AND PURPOSE.
(a) POLICY.—The Congress declares that it is the
policy of the United States to maintain and enhance the
role of the United States as a leader in exporting environ-
mental technology (including marine biotechnology),
goods, and services to the global market for the benefit
of the global environment and to increase private sector
jobs in the field of environmental technology (including
marine biotechnology).
(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act—
(1) to encourage the United States private sec-
tor to export, and assist the United States private
sector in exporting, environmental technology (in-
cluding marine biotechnology), goods, and services
in order to carry out the policy set forth in sub-
section (a);
(2) to authorize the President, acting through
the Office of Environmental Policy and the National
Economic Council, to coordinate the relevant policies
and programs of Federal agencies to carry out the
policy set forth in subsection (a);
(3) to direct the Secretary of Commerce to en-
sure that the policies and programs of the Depart-
ment of Commerce, including those of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, are con-
sistent with and will help carry out the policy set
forth in subsection (a);
(4) to establish the Environmental Trade Pro-
motion Council of the United States, a public-private
partnership, and require the Council to develop a
national strategy to promote environmental exports;
(5) to authorize matching funds to qualified re-
gional environmental business and technology co-
operation centers to provide export assistance, edu-
cation, and training to small- and medium-sized
United States businesses entering the global environ-
mental market and to provide appropriate training
to foreign nationals;
(6) to establish a senior-level environmental
service corps within the Peace Corps through which
experienced environmental professionals would assist
developing countries and emerging democracies to
develop and implement their sustainable development
programs, including programs to promote the wise
use of ocean and coastal resources; and
(7) to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to
establish American Business Centers, including En-
vironmental Business Centers, in nations that offer
promising new markets for United States environ-
mental technologies.
SEC. 4. UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL TRADE PRO-
MOTION STRATEGY.
The President, acting through the Office of Environ-
mental Policy and the National Economic Council, shall
coordinate the export promotion programs of Federal
agencies to ensure that these programs are consistent with
and implement the national strategy to increase environ-
mental exports that is developed by the Environmental
Trade Promotion Council under section 6.
SEC. 5. COMMERCE DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATION IN ENVI-
RONMENTAL TRADE PROMOTION STRATEGY.
(a) REVIEW.—The Secretary shall review the applica-
ble policies and programs of the Department of Com-
merce, including those of the United States and Foreign
Commercial Service and other components of the Inter-
national Trade Administration, and those of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to ensure that
these policies and programs are consistent with and imple-
ment the national strategy to increase environmental ex-
ports that is developed by the Environmental Trade
Promotion Council under section 6.
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary shall re-
port to the Congress any policies and programs that are
found in the review conducted under subsection (a) to be
inconsistent with the national strategy developed under
section 6 and make recommendations for any legislative
changes needed in the authorities of those programs to
remove the inconsistency.
(c) 1-STOP SHOPS.—
(1) AT THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.—The
Secretary shall establish at the Department of Com-
merce a 1-stop shop to provide information to Unit-
ed States businesses selling environmental tech-
nology (including marine biotechnology), goods, and
services on applicable technical and financial assist-
ance programs of the Department, potential global
market opportunities, including trade fairs, for those
businesses, and on international environmental regu-
lations.
(2) AT UNITED STATES AND FOREIGN COMMER-
CIAL SERVICE OFFICES.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish at appropriate offices of the United States and
Foreign Commercial Service 1-stop shops to provide
information described in paragraph (1) to United
States businesses selling environmental technology
(including marine biotechnology), goods, and services
in the district or area served by each such office. In
operating such shops outside the United States, the
Secretary shall cooperate with the Regional Environ-
mental Business and Technology Cooperation Cen-
ters described in section 7.
SEC. 6. ENVIRONMENTAL TRADE PROMOTION COUNCIL.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The President shall establish
an Environmental Trade Promotion Council (hereafter in
this Act referred to as the ‘‘Council’’).
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Council shall be composed of
the following members:
(1) The Secretary of Commerce.
(2) The Secretary of Energy.
(3) The Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency.
(4) The Administrator of the Agency for Inter-
national Development.
(5) The Director of the Trade and Development
Agency.
(6) The President of the Export-Import Bank
of the United States.
(7) The President of the Overseas Private In-
vestment Corporation.
(8) 6 individuals appointed by the President
from among representatives of the United States en-
vironmental technology industry, including one rep-
resentative of the marine biotechnology industry.
(9) 3 individuals appointed by the President
from among representatives of labor, consumer pro-
tection, and environmental conservation organiza-
tions.
(10) 3 individuals appointed by the President
from among representatives of the States and asso-
ciations representing the States.
(c) CHAIRPERSON.—The Secretary shall serve as the
chairperson of the Council.
(d) FUNCTIONS
OF
THE COUNCIL.—The Council
shall—
(1) develop a national strategy to increase ex-
ports of United States environmental technology (in-
cluding marine biotechnology), goods, and services;
(2) work with the Environmental Trade Pro-
motion Working Group of the Trade Promotion Co-
ordinating Committee in developing the national
strategy referred to in paragraph (1);
(3) prepare an action plan to implement the na-
tional strategy, including recommended guidelines
for agencies represented on the Council and the En-
vironmental Trade Promotion Working Group re-
ferred to in paragraph (2) to take action within their
respective agencies to promote exports of environ-
mental technologies;
(3) submit the national strategy and action
plan simultaneously to the President and the Con-
gress by April 30, 1994; and
(4) make periodic reports to the President and
the Congress on the achievement of the goals of the
national strategy and the action plan.
(e) STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION.—
(1) SUPPORT SERVICES.—The Secretary shall
provide to the Council such administrative and tech-
nical support services as are necessary for the effec-
tive functioning of the Council.
(2) OTHER
SUPPORT.—The Administrator of
General Services shall furnish the Council with such
offices, equipment, supplies, and services as the Ad-
ministrator is authorized to furnish to any other
agency or instrumentality of the United States.
(3) COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES.—
(A) Except as provided in subparagraph
(B), members of the Council shall each be paid
the daily equivalent of the minimum rate of
basic pay payable for grade GS–15 of the Gen-
eral Schedule for each day during which they
are engaged in the actual performance of duties
vested in the Council.
(B) Members of the Council who are offi-
cers and employees of the United States may
not receive additional pay, allowances, or bene-
fits by reason of their service on the Council.
(C) Each member of the Council shall re-
ceive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu
of subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702
and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
(f) DISCLOSURE OF FINANCIAL INTEREST.—Each
member of the Council appointed under paragraph (8) or
(9) of subsection (b) shall file with the Secretary, before
serving on the Council, a statement of financial interest
that that individual, or the spouse, minor child, or partner
of that individual may have in an activity that may be
addressed by the national strategy or action plan devel-
oped under subsection (d).
(g) PROCEDURAL MATTERS.—
(1) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The
Council is not an advisory committee for purposes of
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C.
App. 1.).
(2) OPEN
MEETINGS.—The meetings of the
Council shall be open to the public and timely public
notice shall be provided in advance of each regular
meeting of the Council.
(h) SUNSET.—The Council shall cease to exist on
September 30, 1998.
SEC. 7. REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS AND TECH-
NOLOGY COOPERATION CENTERS.
(a) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this section to
provide matching funds for the establishment of regional
environmental business and technology cooperation cen-
ters that will draw upon their own expertise to provide
assistance, education, and training for United States and
foreign companies and organizations engaged in providing
and acquiring United States environmental technology
(including marine biotechnology), goods, and services.
(b) REGIONAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
BUSINESS
AND
TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION CENTERS.—Eligible govern-
ment and private sector organizations that are actively en-
gaged in providing export assistance to small- and me-
dium-sized environmental businesses and environmental
training to foreign nationals may apply to the Secretary,
in such form and manner as the Secretary may prescribe,
for designation as a Regional Environmental Business and
Technology Cooperation Center. Eligible organizations in-
clude State and local government agencies, small- and me-
dium-sized businesses, and appropriate programs imple-
mented by professional societies, worker organizations, in-
dustrial organizations, for-profit and nonprofit organiza-
tions, and institutions of higher education, including those
designated as sea grant colleges under the National Sea
Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121 and follow-
ing).
(c) STANDARDS FOR DESIGNATION OF CENTERS.—
The Secretary shall establish standards for designating or-
ganizations or programs described in subsection (b) as Re-
gional Environmental Business and Technology Coopera-
tion Centers. In establishing such standards, the Secretary
shall give priority to—
(1) already existing centers and organizations
which have demonstrated competence in the areas of
environmental education and training and provision
of export assistance to small- and medium-sized
businesses; and
(2) any group of eligible organizations that
would be designated as a single Regional Environ-
mental Business and Technology Cooperation Cen-
ter.
(d) GRANTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may, subject
to the availability of appropriations, make grants to
Regional Environmental Business and Technology
Cooperation Centers designated under subsection
(b).
(2) USE OF GRANTS.—Grants awarded under
paragraph (1) may be used by a Regional Environ-
mental Business and Technology Cooperation Cen-
ter—
(A) to identify the needs of specified for-
eign countries and areas for United States envi-
ronmental technology (including marine bio-
technology), goods, and services;
(B) to provide technical assistance on ex-
port development programs to small- and me-
dium-sized businesses, in the region served by
the Center, that have an interest in exporting
such environmental technology, goods, and serv-
ices;
(C) to conduct programs in the United
States of training and education of foreign na-
tionals in environmental management, coastal
zone management, sustainable development,
marine pollution prevention and response, ma-
rine biotechnology, and environmental business
management; and
(D) to perform other services to promote
the export of United States environmental tech-
nology (including marine biotechnology), goods,
and services.
(3) TERMS OF GRANTS.—Each grant under this
subsection may be awarded for an initial period of
not more than 3 years and may be renewed for one
additional period of not more than 2 years. Each
such grant may not at any time exceed 50 percent
of the operating costs of the recipient Regional Envi-
ronmental Business and Technology Cooperation
Center and shall be matched by financial and
in-kind contributions of the Center.
(4) LIMITATION IN NUMBER OF GRANTS.—The
Secretary is authorized to make grants under this
section to not more than 6 Regional Environmental
Business and Technology Cooperation Centers.
SEC. 8. SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE CORPS.
The Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2501–2523) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘SEC. 29. SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE CORPS.
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL
SERVICE CORPS.—There is established within the Peace
Corps a division known as the ‘Senior Environmental
Service Corps’.
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Senior Environ-
mental Service Corps is to provide volunteers with experi-
ence in environmental management, environmental tech-
nology (including marine biotechnology), sustainable de-
velopment, coastal zone management, or marine pollution
and prevention, to countries requesting volunteers with
these skills.
‘‘(c) DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—Volunteers in
the Senior Environmental Service Corps shall provide ad-
vice to foreign governments, ministries, for-profit and non-
profit organizations, and others in environmental manage-
ment, strategies, and practices.
‘‘(d) TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE.—The
President shall enroll volunteers in the Senior Environ-
mental Service Corps in the same manner and under the
same terms and conditions of service as other volunteers
are enrolled under section 5 of this Act, except that volun-
teers in the Senior Environmental Service Corps may be
provided with stipends sufficient to enable them to fulfill
the functions described in subsection (c) of this section.’’.
SEC. 9. AMERICAN BUSINESS CENTERS.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary is authorized
and encouraged to establish American Business Centers,
including Environmental Business Centers, in such coun-
tries that the Secretary determines offer promising new
market possibilities for the export of United States envi-
ronmental technology (including marine biotechnology),
goods and services. To the maximum extent practicable,
the Secretary shall use the private sector to establish such
Centers.
(b) POLICY GUIDANCE.—To the extent consistent
with the policy and purposes of this Act, the Secretary
shall comply with the directives set forth in paragraphs
(1), (2), (3), (4), and (6) of section 301(c) of the Freedom
Support Act of 1992 (22 U.S.C. 5821) in establishing
American Business Centers and Environmental Business
Centers under this section.
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated—
(1) to the Secretary of Commerce—
(A) $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years
1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998, to carry
out sections 5, 6, and 9; and
(B) $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years
1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998, to carry
out section 7; and
(2) to the Director of the Peace Corps
$1,500,000 for each of fiscal years 1994, 1995,
1996, 1997, and 1998 to carry out section 8.
Sums appropriated pursuant to paragraph (2) shall re-
main available for 2 fiscal years.
SEC. 11. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Act—
(1) the term ‘‘export promotion program’’
means any activity of the Federal Government de-
signed to stimulate or assist United States busi-
nesses in marketing their goods and services, includ-
ing environmental technology, abroad;
(2) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary
of Commerce, and
(3) the term ‘‘State’’ means each of the several
States, the District of Columbia, and any common-
wealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
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HR 2112 IH——2