I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4782
To provide for the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade
relations treatment) to the products of the Republic of Georgia.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 29, 2000
Mr. CRANE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Ways and Means
A BILL
To provide for the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment
(normal trade relations treatment) to the products of
the Republic of Georgia.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. NORMAL TRADE RELATIONS FOR THE REPUB-
LIC OF GEORGIA.
(a) CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.—The Congress finds
that the Republic of Georgia has—
(1) made considerable progress toward respect-
ing fundamental human rights consistent with the
objectives of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974;
(2) adopted administrative procedures that ac-
cord its citizens the right to emigrate, travel freely,
and to return to their country without restriction;
(3) been found to be in full compliance with the
freedom of emigration provisions in title IV of the
Trade Act of 1974;
(4) made progress toward democratic rule and
creating a free market economic system since its
independence from the Soviet Union;
(5) committed to developing a system of govern-
ance in accord with the provisions of the Final Act
of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in
Europe (also known as the ‘‘Helsinki Final Act’’) re-
garding human rights and humanitarian affairs;
(6) endeavored to address issues related to its
national and religious minorities and, as a member
state of the Organization for Security and Coopera-
tion in Europe (OSCE), committed to adopting spe-
cial measures for ensuring that persons belonging to
national minorities have full equality individually as
well as in community with other members of their
group;
(7) also committed to enacting legislation to
provide protection against incitement to violence
against persons or groups based on national, racial,
ethnic or religious discrimination, hostility, or ha-
tred, including anti-Semitism;
(8) continued to return communal properties
confiscated from national and religious minorities
during the Soviet period, facilitating the reemer-
gence of these communities in the national life of
Georgia and establishing the legal framework for
completion of this process in the future;
(9) concluded a bilateral investment treaty with
the United States in 1994;
(10) demonstrated a strong desire to build a
friendly and cooperative relationship with the United
States; and
(11) acceded to the World Trade Organization
on June 14, 2000, and the extension of uncondi-
tional normal trade relations treatment to the prod-
ucts of Georgia will enable the United States to avail
itself of all rights under the World Trade Organiza-
tion with respect to Georgia.
SEC. 2. NORMAL TRADE RELATIONS FOR THE REPUBLIC OF
GEORGIA.
(a) PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION
AND EXTEN-
SION
OF NONDISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT.—Notwith-
standing any provision of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974
(19 U.S.C. 2431 et seq.), the President may—
(1) determine that such title should no longer
apply to the Republic of Georgia; and
(2) after making a determination under para-
graph (1) with respect to the Republic of Georgia,
proclaim the extension of nondiscriminatory treat-
ment (normal trade relations treatment) to the prod-
ucts of that country.
(b) TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE IV OF
THE TRADE ACT OF 1974 TO THE REPUBLIC OF GEOR-
GIA.—On and after the effective date of the extension
under subsection (a)(2) of nondiscriminatory treatment to
the products of the Republic of Georgia, title IV of the
Trade Act of 1974 shall cease to apply to that country.
Æ