United States-Africa Partnership Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1900
Sponsor: Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]
Introduced: 2003-11-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Africa
Africa (Sub-Saharan)
Agribusiness
Agricultural assistance
Agricultural cooperatives
Agricultural extension work
Agricultural industries
Agricultural research
Agriculture and Food
Agriculture in foreign trade
Air cargo
Airports
American investments
Aviation safety
Botswana
Capital movements
Clothing
Commerce
Conferences
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional reporting requirements
Customs administration
Developing countries
Economic assistance
Economic development
Economic growth
Electronics
Energy
Energy industries
Entrepreneurs
Environmental Protection
Executive reorganization
Export finance
Export-Import Bank of the United States
Exports
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Food safety
Foreign service
Foreign trade promotion
Freight forwarders
Government Operations and Politics
Government corporations
Governmental investigations
Harbors
Housing and Community Development
Import relief
Imports
Income tax
Information technology
Infrastructure
Infrastructure (Economics)
Inland water transportation
International Affairs
Investment guaranty insurance
Marine safety
Marine transportation
Namibia
Nongovernmental organizations
Pest control
Plant diseases
President and foreign policy
Railroad engineering
Road construction
Rural economic development
Science, Technology, Communications
Small business
Tariff
Tariff agreements
Tariff preferences
Tax administration
Tax treaties
Taxation
Technical assistance
Telecommunication industry
Textile fabrics
Trade agreements
Trade negotiations
Transportation and Public Works
Transportation rates
Women
Women in business

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-20
text: 
 United States-Africa Partnership Act of 2003 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to repeal the requirement that certain non-apparel articles that are the growth, product, or manufacture of a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country (SSA country) under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) shall receive duty-free treatment only if the President determines that they are not import-sensitive in the context of imports from such countries.
 
Extends duty-free treatment for AGOA articles from FY 2008 through FY 2015.
 
Amends AGOA to revise requirements for textile and apparel products from SSA countries receiving duty-free and other preferential import treatment. Permits certain articles to contain fabric or yarn not originating from an SSA country or the United States (third country fabric), regardless of commercial availability in the United States. Extends through FY 2008 the current special rule for lesser developed SSA countries.
 
Extends duty-free treatment to ethnic printed fabric of an SSA country meeting certain criteria.
 
Amends AGOA to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) to develop a comprehensive plan for public policies and incentives for the private sector to: (1) identify SSA products that can be exported to the United States; (2) analyze critical constraints to U.S.-Africa agricultural trade; and (3) develop a strategy for increasing such SSA agricultural exports.
 
Requires the President and the Secretary to direct the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to evaluate methods for training African agricultural producers and for implementing capacity building programs to help the producers meet U.S. food safety standards. Directs the President to assign at least 20 full-time APHIS personnel to at least ten eligible SSA countries with the greatest: (1) potential to increase marketable exports of agricultural products to the United States; and (2) need for technical training and capacity building in meeting phytosanitary standards for such products.
 
Amends AGOA to condition the President's termination of the designation of an SSA country upon Congress' not prohibiting it.
 
Requires the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to focus funding on investments in agribusiness, electronics, textiles, and apparel.
 
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to waive certains prohibitions against OPIC issuance of any contract of insurance or reinsurance, guaranty, or agreement to provide financing for an eligible investor's proposed investment in an SSA country even if such investment is likely to cause a significant reduction in the number of employees in the United States.
 
Amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to require the Bank to implement regulations and procedures appropriate to ensure that full consideration is given to the extent to which any credit extension is likely to have a positive effect on industries, including the textile and apparel industry and agricultural production, in SSA countries.
 
Requires the Secretary to direct the Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) to work with national African agricultural organizations to identify agricultural equipment and supply needs and implement programs that strengthen the ability of members of African agricultural organizations to fulfill these needs in conjunction with export credit guarantee programs.
 
States the sense of Congress that USAID, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank), and the African Development Bank, should continue to provide technical assistance to SSA countries in tax policy and revenue administration.
 
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to seek negotiations with those SSA countries which the Secretary determines will benefit most from an income tax treaty with the United States to avoid double taxation.
 
Directs the USAID Administrator to study the economy of each SSA country, identifying growth sectors and barriers impeding growth, as well as how the U.S. Government and the private sector can provide technical assistance to help dismantle such barriers and promote investment in such sectors.
 
Directs the President to develop and implement policies to encourage, and assist with, investment in transportation, energy, agriculture, and telecommunications infrastructure in SSA countries.
 
Directs the USAID Administrator to foster specified port-to-port and airport-to-airport relationships.
 
Directs the President to assemble an interagency task force to facilitate the goals and objectives of this Act.
 
Authorizes the USTR to provide grants to U.S. nongovernmental organizations and to U.S. representatives of the private sector to host AGAO forums.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-03-25
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 108-512.
action_date: 2003-11-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-11-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15289-15290)
action_date: 2003-11-20
text: Introduced in Senate