TRADE Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-3012
Sponsor: Rep. Michaud, Michael H. [D-ME-2]
Introduced: 2009-06-24 in the House
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Agricultural trade
Congressional operations and organization
Congressional oversight
Due process and equal protection
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Environmental health
Financial services and investments
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Human rights
Human trafficking
Intellectual property
International law and treaties
International monetary system and foreign exchange
Labor standards
Political movements and philosophies
Product safety and quality
Public contracts and procurement
Religion
Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
Tariffs
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Trade agreements and negotiations
Trade restrictions
U.S. and foreign investments
Unemployment
Wages and earnings
Youth employment and child labor

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-24
text: 
Trade Reform, Accountability, Development, and Employment Act of 2009 or the TRADE Act of 2009 - Directs the Comptroller General to: (1) review biennially certain free trade agreements (including Uruguay Round Agreements) between the United States and foreign countries to evaluate their economic, environmental, national security, health, safety, and other effects; and (2) report on them to the Congressional Trade Agreement Review Committee (established by this Act), including analyses of specified aspects of each agreement and certain information about agreement parties, such as whether the country has a democratic form of government, respects certain core labor rights and fundamental human rights, protects intellectual property rights, and enforces environmental laws.
 
Declares that implementing bills of new trade agreements shall not be subject to expedited consideration or special procedures limiting amendment, unless such agreements include certain standards with respect to: (1) labor; (2) human rights; (3) environment and public safety; (4) food and product health and safety; (5) provision of services; (6) investment; (7) procurement; (8) intellectual property; (9) agriculture; (10) trade remedies and safeguards; (11) dispute resolution and enforcement; (12) technical assistance; (13) national security; and (14) taxation.
 
Requires the President to submit to Congress a plan for the renegotiation of existing trade agreements to bring them into compliance with such standards.
 
Establishes a Congressional Trade Agreement Review Committee.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that certain processes for U.S. trade negotiations should be followed when Congress considers legislation providing special procedures for implementing bills of trade agreements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-06-24
text: Referred to House Rules
action_date: 2009-06-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2009-06-24
text: Referred to House Ways and Means
action_date: 2009-06-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-06-24
text: Introduced in House