Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—CENTER FOR CARIBBEAN BASIN TRADE 
Sec. 101. Findings. 
Sec. 102. Establishment. 
Sec. 103. Activities. 
Sec. 104. Administrative provisions. 
Sec. 105. Sense of Congress. 
TITLE II—CARIBBEAN BASIN SKILLS-BASED TRAINING PROGRAM 
Sec. 201. Findings. 
Sec. 202. Establishment. 
Sec. 203. Activities. 
Sec. 204. Sense of Congress. 
TITLE III—GENERAL PROVISIONS 
Sec. 301. Report. 
Sec. 302. Definitions. 
Sec. 303. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE I—CENTER FOR 
CARIBBEAN BASIN TRADE 
SEC. 101. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Increased globalization and economic inte-
gration are requiring countries throughout the world 
to rethink their competitiveness strategies and to 
take affirmative steps to improve their trade capac-
ities. 
(2) Countries of the Caribbean Basin can ben-
efit from assistance to improve their trade capac-
ities. 
(3) The Organization of American States 
(OAS) has relevant experience in developing trade 
capacity initiatives and programs of countries of the 
Western Hemisphere. In particular, the Department 
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of Trade, Tourism and Competitiveness of the OAS 
has successfully trained trade negotiators, particu-
larly within the context of negotiations to conclude 
a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). 
SEC. 102. ESTABLISHMENT. 
The Secretary of State is authorized to make a vol-
untary contribution on a grant basis to the Organization 
of American States to establish a Center for Caribbean 
Basin Trade (hereinafter in this title referred to as the 
‘‘Center’’) in accordance with the provisions of this title. 
SEC. 103. ACTIVITIES. 
The Center shall carry out the following activities: 
(1) Provide government officials of Caribbean 
Basin countries, including trade negotiators, with 
technical assistance in developing and implementing 
trade agreements. 
(2) Assist government officials and private sec-
tor representatives of Caribbean Basin countries to 
further assist firms in developing export readiness, 
such as developing firms’ commitment, identifying 
primary target markets, selecting market entry 
strategies, developing an international market plan, 
and developing distribution networks in other coun-
tries. 
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(3) Provide training and consulting services to 
Caribbean Basin countries to upgrade port facilities, 
strengthen security measures, upgrade customs pro-
cedures, and modernize other infrastructure critical 
to trade. 
(4) Provide training and consulting services to 
government officials and private sector representa-
tives of Caribbean Basin countries on import re-
quirements of major trading countries for the Carib-
bean Basin region, including the United States, as 
well as financing mechanisms. 
SEC. 104. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 
The Secretary of State, acting through the Assistant 
Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs and 
the United States Permanent Representative to the Orga-
nization of American States, shall work with the Organiza-
tion of American States to determine the location, staffing 
requirements, programs, and working methodology of the 
Center. 
SEC. 105. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that a thorough study and 
analysis should be undertaken to determine a permanent 
location of the Center. 
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TITLE 
II—CARIBBEAN 
BASIN 
SKILLS-BASED 
TRAINING 
PROGRAM 
SEC. 201. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Studies demonstrate that greater emphasis 
needs to be given to secondary education in coun-
tries of the Western Hemisphere, including Carib-
bean Basin countries, in order to bridge the wid-
ening educational and technology gap in such coun-
tries, which ultimately hinders job growth. 
(2) Access to education is fundamental in help-
ing to eradicate the poverty which limits economic 
growth in the countries of the Caribbean Basin. 
(3) Countries of the Western Hemisphere have 
consistently lagged behind the countries of Asia and 
other regions, suffering a self-perpetuating cycle of 
low-growth and increasing poverty. 
(4) The community college system in the 
United States provides skills-based training for 
United States workers and is a useful model for a 
skills-based training system for Caribbean Basin 
countries. 
(5) A skills-based training program established 
under the management of the Organization of Amer-
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ican States (OAS) would be an effective means of 
addressing the needs of individuals and economic 
concerns in the Caribbean Basin region. 
(6) Such a program would provide individuals 
with the skills required to improve their standard of 
living and, together with employers, would further 
facilitate the economic integration of the countries of 
the Western Hemisphere. 
SEC. 202. ESTABLISHMENT. 
The Secretary of State is authorized to make a vol-
untary contribution on a grant basis to the Organization 
of American States to establish a skills-based training pro-
gram for Caribbean Basin countries (hereinafter in this 
title referred to as the ‘‘program’’) in accordance with the 
provisions of this title. 
SEC. 203. ACTIVITIES. 
The program shall carry out activities to support a 
productive workforce in Caribbean Basin countries. 
SEC. 204. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that the program should 
focus on mid-level technical education and training for the 
workforce in Caribbean Basin countries, utilizing existing 
educational facilities, cooperative private sector and gov-
ernment entities, and Internet-based training. 
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