IV
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 224
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on agricultural trade
negotiations.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 25, 1999
Mr. EWING (for himself and Mr. DOOLEY of California) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on
agricultural trade negotiations.
Whereas the United States is the world’s largest exporter of
agricultural commodities and products;
Whereas 96 percent of the world’s consumers live outside the
United States;
Whereas the profitability of the United States agricultural
sector is dependent on a healthy export market; and
Whereas the next round of multilateral trade negotiations is
scheduled to begin on November 30, 1999: Now, there-
fore, be it
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Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports
and strongly encourages the President to adopt the fol-
lowing trade negotiating objectives:
(1) The initiation of a comprehensive round of
multilateral trade negotiations that—
(A) covers all goods and services;
(B) continues to reform agricultural and
food trade policy;
(C) promotes global food security through
open trade; and
(D) increases trade liberalization in agri-
culture and food.
(2) The simultaneous conclusion of the negotia-
tions for all sectors.
(3) The adoption of the framework established
under the Uruguay Round Agreements for the agri-
cultural negotiations conducted in 1999 to ensure
that there are no product or policy exceptions.
(4) The establishment of a 3-year goal for the
conclusion of the negotiations by December 2002.
(5) The elimination of all export subsidies and
tightening of rules for circumvention of export sub-
sidies.
(6) The elimination of all nontariff barriers to
trade.
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(7) The transition of domestic agricultural sup-
port programs to a form decoupled from agricultural
production, as the United States has already done
under the Agricultural Market Transition Act (7
U.S.C. 7201 et seq.).
(8) The commercially meaningful reduction or
elimination of bound and applied tariffs, and the
mutual elimination of restrictive tariff barriers, on
an accelerated basis.
(9) The improved administration of tariff rate
quotas.
(10)(A) The elimination of state trading enter-
prises; or
(B) the adoption of policies that ensure oper-
ational transparency, the end of discriminatory pric-
ing practices, and competition for state trading en-
terprises.
(11) The maintenance of sound science and risk
assessment for sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
(12) The assurance of market access for bio-
technology products, with the regulation of the prod-
ucts based solely on sound science.
(13) The accelerated resolution of trade dis-
putes and prompt enforcement of dispute panels of
the World Trade Organization.
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(14) The provision of food security for import-
ing nations by ensuring access to supplies through
a commitment by World Trade Organization mem-
ber countries not to restrict or prohibit the export
of agricultural products.
(15) The resolution of labor and environmental
issues in a manner that facilitates, rather than re-
stricts, agricultural trade.
(16) The establishment of World Trade Organi-
zation rules that will allow developing countries to
graduate, using objective economic criteria, to full
participation in, and obligations under, the World
Trade Organization.
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