I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 884
To require prior congressional approval before the United States supports
the admission of the People’s Republic of China into the World Trade
Organization, and to provide for the withdrawal of the United States
from the World Trade Organization if China is accepted into the WTO
without the support of the United States.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 1, 1999
Mr. GEPHARDT (for himself, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. BONIOR, Mr. SMITH of New
Jersey, Mr. FROST, Mr. WOLF, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr.
OBEY, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. HUNTER, Ms.
KAPTUR, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. SHOWS, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. SHER-
MAN, Mr. VENTO, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. TRAFICANT, Mr.
BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. BORSKI, Mr. LI-
PINSKI, Mr. PASCRELL, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. STARK, Mr.
KLINK, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. ALLEN, and Mr. STUPAK) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and
Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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 con-
cerned
A BILL
To require prior congressional approval before the United
States supports the admission of the People’s Republic
of China into the World Trade Organization, and to
provide for the withdrawal of the United States from
the World Trade Organization if China is accepted into
the WTO without the support of the United States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PRIOR CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL FOR SUP-
PORTING ADMISSION OF CHINA INTO THE
WTO.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The United States may not sup-
port the admission of the People’s Republic of China as
a member of the World Trade Organization unless a provi-
sion of law is passed by both Houses of Congress and en-
acted into law after the enactment of this Act that specifi-
cally allows the United States to support such admission.
(b) PROCEDURES FOR CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL
OF UNITED STATES SUPPORT FOR ADMISSION OF CHINA
INTO THE WTO.—
(1) NOTIFICATION OF CONGRESS.—The Presi-
dent shall notify the Congress in writing if he deter-
mines that the United States should support the ad-
mission of the People’s Republic of China into the
World Trade Organization.
(2) SUPPORT OF CHINA’S ADMISSION INTO THE
WTO.—The United States may support the admis-
sion of the People’s Republic of China into the
World Trade Organization if a joint resolution is en-
acted into law under subsection (c) and the Congress
adopts and transmits the joint resolution to the
President before the end of the 90-day period (ex-
cluding any day described in section 154(b) of the
Trade Act of 1974), beginning on the date on which
the Congress receives the notification referred to in
paragraph (1).
(c) JOINT RESOLUTIONS.—
(1) JOINT RESOLUTIONS.—For purposes of this
section, the term ‘‘joint resolution’’ means only a
joint resolution of the 2 Houses of Congress, the
matter after the resolving clause of which is as fol-
lows: ‘‘That the Congress approves the support of
the United States for the admission of the People’s
Republic of China into the World Trade Organiza-
tion.’’.
(2) PROCEDURES.—(A) A joint resolution may
be introduced at any time on or after the date on
which the Congress receives the notification referred
to in paragraph (1), and before the end of the 90-
day period referred to in subsection (b)(2). A joint
resolution may be introduced in either House of the
Congress by any member of such House.
(B) Subject to the provisions of this subsection,
the provisions of subsections (b), (d), (e), and (f) of
section 152 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C.
2192(b), (d), (e), and (f)) apply to joint resolutions
to the same extent as such provisions apply to reso-
lutions under such section.
(C) If the committee of either House to which
a joint resolution has been referred has not reported
it by the close of the 45th day after its introduction
(excluding any day described in section 154(b) of the
Trade Act of 1974), such committee shall be auto-
matically discharged from further consideration of
the joint resolution and it shall be placed on the ap-
propriate calendar.
(D) It is not in order for—
(i) the Senate to consider any joint resolu-
tion unless it has been reported by the Commit-
tee on Finance or the committee has been dis-
charged under subparagraph (C); or
(ii) the House of Representatives to con-
sider any joint resolution unless it has been re-
ported by the Committee on Ways and Means
or the committee has been discharged under
subparagraph (C).
(E) A motion in the House of Representatives
to proceed to the consideration of a joint resolution
may only be made on the second legislative day after
the calendar day on which the Member making the
motion announces to the House his or her intention
to do so.
(3) CONSIDERATION OF SECOND RESOLUTION
NOT IN ORDER.—It shall not be in order in either
the House of Representatives or the Senate to con-
sider a joint resolution (other than a joint resolution
received from the other House), if that House has
previously adopted a joint resolution under this sec-
tion.
SEC. 2. WITHDRAWAL OF UNITED STATES FROM THE WTO.
(a) NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESS OF ADMISSION OF
PRC TO THE WTO.—If the People’s Republic of China
becomes a member of the World Trade Organization with-
out the support of the United States, the President shall
immediately so notify the Congress and shall, by no later
than the date on which the membership of the People’s
Republic of China in the World Trade Organization be-
comes effective, submit written notice of the withdrawal
of the United States from the WTO Agreement pursuant
to Article XV of the WTO Agreement.
(b) WITHDRAWAL OF UNITED STATES APPROVAL OF
THE WTO AGREEMENT.—The approval of the Congress,
provided under section 101(a) of the Uruguay Round
Agreements Act, of the WTO Agreement shall cease to
be effective on the date that is 6 months after the date
on which the President submits written notice of the with-
drawal of the United States from the WTO Agreement
under subsection (a).
(c) DEFINITION.—As used in this section, the term
‘‘WTO Agreement’’ means the Agreement Establishing
the World Trade Organization, entered into on April 15,
1994.
SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.
Section 125(b)(1) of the Uruguay Round Agreements
Act (19 U.S.C. 3535(b)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘, and
only if,’’.
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