(2) Background information about each coun-
try’s or region’s political environment. 
(3) Information about selling United States 
products and services in each country or region. 
(4) Leading sectors for United States exports 
and investment in each country or region. 
(5) Information about trade regulations, cus-
toms, and standards in each country or region, such 
as— 
(A) information on import tariffs; and 
(B) documentation about which United 
States businesses should be aware when export-
ing, including any prohibited items or tem-
porary entry procedures. 
(6) Investment climate statements describing 
each country’s or region’s openness to foreign invest-
ments, such as information relating to each coun-
try’s or region’s— 
(A) investment policies; 
(B) market barriers; 
(C) business risks; 
(D) legal and regulatory system, including 
dispute resolution; 
(E) level of public and private sector cor-
ruption;
(F) level of political violence and insta-
bility; 
(G) adherence to internationally recognized 
core labor standards; and 
(H) protection of property rights. 
(7) Information about trade and project financ-
ing in each country or region, such as each country’s 
or region’s— 
(A) banking and financial system, and how 
United States businesses typically get paid; 
(B) foreign exchange controls; and 
(C) important sources of funding for 
project financing. 
(8) Relevant business travel information and 
business customs in each country or region. 
(9) Information about services and personnel of 
the diplomatic mission of the United States available 
to United States businesses to support their activi-
ties in each country or region. 
(10) Any significant trade or commercial agree-
ment that exists between the United States and each 
country or region. 
(11) A point of contact at the diplomatic or 
consular mission of the United States in each coun-
try or region for United States businesses.
SEC. 8. IMPROVING AWARENESS OF UNITED STATES GOV-
ERNMENT TOOLS AND SERVICES TO SUP-
PORT UNITED STATES BUSINESSES OVER-
SEAS. 
The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Com-
merce shall take actions to improve United States busi-
nesses’ awareness of United States Government tools and 
services to assist such businesses overseas, especially small 
and medium-sized enterprises, including by coordinating 
with State trade agencies, Export Assistance Centers, and 
Small Businesses Development Centers. 
SEC. 9. NEGOTIATIONS TO ESTABLISH INTERNATIONAL 
QUALITY 
INFRASTRUCTURE 
INVESTMENT 
STANDARDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President, acting through the 
Secretary of State, and in coordination with other relevant 
Federal agency heads, shall initiate and pursue negotia-
tions with countries to establish international standards 
for government-supported quality infrastructure invest-
ment overseas, including with respect to the following: 
(1) Respect for the sovereignty of countries in 
which infrastructure investments are made. 
(2) Anti-corruption. 
(3) Fiscal and debt sustainability. 
(4) Environmental, social and governance safe-
guards.
(5) Local labor. 
(6) Transparency. 
(b) REPORT ON PROGRESS OF NEGOTIATIONS.—Not 
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the President shall provide a briefing to the Committee 
on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate on the 
progress of any negotiations described in subsection (a). 
SEC. 10. REPORT BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE 
UNITED STATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall submit to the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report 
on United States economic and commercial diplomacy. 
(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report re-
quired under subsection (a) shall include an assessment 
of the following: 
(1) What is known about the effectiveness of 
United States economic and commercial diplomacy 
in influencing foreign governments and supporting 
United States businesses abroad. 
(2) Coordination between the Department of 
State and the Department of Commerce with respect
to United States economic and commercial diplo-
macy. 
(3) The effectiveness of training provided pur-
suant to subsection (d) of section 708 of the Foreign 
Service Act of 1980 (as added by section 4 of this 
Act) on matters relating to economic and commer-
cial diplomacy. 
(4) The status and effectiveness of actions 
taken by the Secretary of State under section 7 of 
this Act regarding commercial relations with foreign 
countries and regions and safeguarding United 
States economic and business interests abroad. 
(5) Recommendations to improve United States 
economic and commercial diplomacy. 
Passed the House of Representatives May 7, 2019. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 1704 
AN ACT 
To foster commercial relations with foreign coun-
tries and support United States economic and 
business interests abroad in the conduct of for-
eign policy, and for other purposes.