I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 17
To amend the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to require the President
to report to Congress on any selective embargo on agricultural commod-
ities, to provide a termination date for the embargo, to provide greater
assurances for contract sanctity, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 6, 1999
Mr. EWING (for himself, Mr. COMBEST, Mr. STENHOLM, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr.
CONDIT, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. MINGE, Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska, Mr.
MORAN of Kansas, Mr. BEREUTER, Mr. THUNE, Mr. SMITH of Michigan,
Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky, Mr. WELLER,
Mr. CANADY of Florida, Mr. KOLBE, Mr. NETHERCUTT, and Mr. WAL-
DEN of Oregon) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Inter-
national relations, 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 amend the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to require
the President to report to Congress on any selective
embargo on agricultural commodities, to provide a termi-
nation date for the embargo, to provide greater assur-
ances for contract sanctity, 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 ‘‘Selective Agricultural
Embargoes Act of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. REPORTING ON SELECTIVE EMBARGOES.
The Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5711
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end of title VI:
‘‘SEC. 604. REPORTING ON SELECTIVE EMBARGOES.
‘‘(a) REPORT.—If the President takes any action,
pursuant to statutory authority, to embargo the export
under an export sales contract (as defined in subsection
(e)) of an agricultural commodity to a country that is not
part of an embargo on all exports to the country, not later
than 5 days after imposing the embargo, the President
shall submit a report to Congress that sets forth in detail
the reasons for the embargo and specifies the proposed
period during which the embargo will be effective.
‘‘(b) APPROVAL OF EMBARGO.—If a joint resolution
approving the embargo becomes law during the 100-day
period beginning on the date of receipt of the report pro-
vided for in subsection (a), the embargo shall terminate
on the earlier of—
‘‘(1) a date determined by the President; or
‘‘(2) the date that is 1 year after the date of
enactment of the joint resolution approving the em-
bargo.
‘‘(c) DISAPPROVAL OF EMBARGO.—If a joint resolu-
tion disapproving the embargo becomes law during the
100-day period referred to in subsection (b), the embargo
shall terminate on the expiration of the 100-day period.
‘‘(d) EXCEPTION.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of this section, an embargo may take effect and con-
tinue in effect during any period in which the United
States is in a state of war declared by Congress or na-
tional emergency, requiring such action, declared by the
President.
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section—
‘‘(1) the term ‘agricultural commodity’ includes
plant nutrient materials;
‘‘(2) the term ‘under an export sales contract’
means under an export sales contract entered into
before the President has transmitted to Congress no-
tice of the proposed embargo; and
‘‘(3) the term ‘embargo’ includes any prohibi-
tion or curtailment.’’.
SEC. 3. ADDITION OF PLANT NUTRIENT MATERIALS TO
PROTECTION OF CONTRACT SANCTITY.
Section 602(c) of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978
(7 U.S.C. 5712(c)) is amended by inserting ‘‘(including
plant nutrient materials)’’ after ‘‘agricultural commodity’’
each place it appears.
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