I
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3808
To establish the Intellectual Property Assembly of the Americas and to
provide for participation in the Assembly by the United States Delegation.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 12, 1996
Mr. MOORHEAD (for himself, Mr. HYDE, Mrs. SCHROEDER, and Mr. CON-
YERS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on International Relations
A BILL
To establish the Intellectual Property Assembly of the Ameri-
cas and to provide for participation in the Assembly
by the United States Delegation.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ASSEMBLY OF THE
AMERICAS.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND MEETINGS.—Not to ex-
ceed 13 Members of Congress shall be appointed to meet
jointly and at least annually and when Congress is not
in session (except that this restriction shall not apply to
meetings held in the United States) with representative
parliamentary groups from other countries in the Ameri-
cas for the purposes of—
(1) discussing common problems and interests
in intellectual and industrial property; and
(2) initiating and promoting such national and
multilateral measures as may further common inter-
ests in intellectual and industrial property.
(b) APPOINTMENT
OF UNITED STATES DELEGA-
TION.—For each meeting of the Intellectual Property As-
sembly of the Americas, there shall be appointed a United
States Delegation, as follows:
(1) In 1998 and every even-numbered year
thereafter—
(A) 7 members shall be appointed by the
Speaker of the House of Representatives from
Members of the House of Representatives (3 of
whom, including the Chairperson of the United
States Delegation, shall be from the Committee
on International Relations and 4 of whom shall
be from the Committee on the Judiciary); and
(B) 6 members shall, upon recommenda-
tions of the majority and minority leaders of
the Senate, be appointed by the President pro
tempore of the Senate from Members of the
Senate (2 of whom, including the Vice Chair-
person of the United States Delegation, shall be
from the Committee on Foreign Relations and
4 of whom shall be from the Committee on the
Judiciary, unless the President pro tempore of
the Senate, upon recommendations of the ma-
jority and minority leaders of the Senate, deter-
mines otherwise).
Such appointments shall be for the period of each
meeting of the Intellectual Property Assembly of the
Americas.
(2) In every odd-numbered year beginning in
1999—
(A) 7 members shall, upon recommenda-
tions of the majority and minority leaders of
the Senate, be appointed by the President pro
tempore of the Senate from Members of the
Senate (3 of whom, including the Chairperson
of the United States Delegation, shall be from
the Committee on Foreign Relations and 4 of
whom shall be from the Committee on the Judi-
ciary, unless the President pro tempore of the
Senate, upon recommendations of the majority
and minority leaders of the Senate, determines
otherwise); and
(B) 6 members shall be appointed by the
Speaker of the House of Representatives from
Members of the House of Representatives (2 of
whom, including the Vice Chairperson of the
United States Delegation, shall be from the
Committee on the Judiciary).
Such appointments shall be for the period of each
meeting of the Intellectual Property Assembly of the
Americas.
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.—For the purpose of
providing general staff support, each United States Dele-
gation shall have 2 secretaries (1 of whom shall be ap-
pointed by the Chairperson of the Delegation and 1 of
whom shall be appointed by the Vice Chairperson of the
Delegation).
(d) FUNDING.—
(1) UNITED STATES PARTICIPATION.—There is
authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year
the sum of $60,000 to assist in meeting the ex-
penses of the United States Delegation. For each
fiscal year for which an appropriation is made under
this subsection, half of such appropriation may be
disbursed on vouchers to be approved by the Chair-
person and half of such appropriation may be dis-
bursed on vouchers to be approved by the Vice
Chairperson.
(2) 
AVAILABILITY
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—
Amounts appropriated pursuant to this subsection
are authorized to remain available until expended.
(e) ANNUAL REPORT.—The United States Delega-
tion shall, for each fiscal year for which an appropriation
is made pursuant to this section, submit to the Congress
a report that includes its expenditures under such appro-
priation. The certificate of the Chairperson and Vice
Chairperson of the United States Delegation shall be final
and conclusive upon the accounting officers in the auditing
of the accounts of the United States Delegation.
(f) FUNDING FOR EXPENSES OF ANNUAL MEET-
INGS.—In addition to the amounts authorized by sub-
section (d), there is authorized to be appropriated the sum
of $100,000 for fiscal year 1998 to meet the expenses in-
curred by the United States Delegation in hosting the first
annual meeting of the Intellectual Property Assembly of
the Americas. Amounts appropriated under this sub-
section are authorized to remain available until expended.
SEC. 
2. 
REPORTS 
OF 
EXPENDITURES; 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.
Section 105(b) of the Legislative Branch Appropria-
tions Act, 1961 (22 U.S.C. 276c–1), is amended by insert-
ing ‘‘the Intellectual Property Assembly of the Americas,’’
after ‘‘the Mexico-United States Interparliamentary
Group,’’.
Æ