I
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4198
To authorize a new trade and investment policy for sub-Saharan Africa.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 26, 1996
Mr. CRANE (for himself, Mr. RANGEL, and Mr. MCDERMOTT) introduced the
following 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
A BILL
To authorize a new trade and investment policy for sub-
Saharan 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: The End of Dependency Act of 1996’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that it is in the mutual economic
interest of the United States and sub-Saharan Africa to
expand their trade and investment relationship and to
build a market-oriented transition path for sub-Saharan
Africa from dependency on foreign assistance to economic
self-sufficiency by—
(1) strengthening and expanding the private
sector in sub-Saharan Africa;
(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 eco-
nomic reform;
(8) establishing a United States-Sub-Saharan
Africa Economic Cooperation Forum; and
(9) continuing to support development assist-
ance for those countries in sub-Saharan Africa at-
tempting to build civil societies.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
The Congress supports the creation of a transition
path from development assistance to economic self-suffi-
ciency for those sub-Saharan African countries committed
to economic and political reform, market incentives, and
private sector growth and poverty reduction.
SEC. 4. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—A sub-Saharan African country
shall be eligible to participate in programs, projects, or
activities, or receive assistance or other benefits under this
Act for a fiscal year only if the President determines that,
with respect to that fiscal year, the country has estab-
lished, or is making continual progress toward establish-
ing, a market-based economy, including the establishment
and enforcement of appropriate policies relating to—
(1) trade issues, such as protection of intellec-
tual property rights, improvements in standards,
testing, labeling and certification, and government
procurement;
(2) the protection of property rights, such as
protection against expropriation and a functioning
and fair judicial system;
(3) tax issues, such as reducing high import
and corporate taxes, controlling government con-
sumption, and participation in bilateral investment
treaties;
(4) foreign investment issues, such as imple-
menting measures to attract foreign investors and
supporting the growth of regional markets;
(5) regulatory issues, such as eliminating gov-
ernment corruption, minimizing government inter-
vention in the market, and supporting the growth of
the private sector; and
(6) the private ownership of government-con-
trolled economic enterprises.
(b) CONTINUING COMPLIANCE.—
(1) MONITOR AND REVIEW OF CERTAIN COUN-
TRIES.—It is the sense of the Congress that the
President—
(A) should monitor and review on an an-
nual basis the progress of those sub-Saharan
African countries that have been determined to
be eligible under subsection (a) but are in need
of making continual progress in meeting one or
more of the requirements of such subsection;
and
(B) should transmit to the Congress annu-
ally a report on the eligibility criteria and eligi-
bility ranking of each country in sub-Saharan
Africa.
(2) INELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN COUNTRIES.—It
is further the sense of the Congress that a sub-Sa-
haran African country described in paragraph (1)
that has not made continual progress in meeting the