legislation: 106-hr-5416
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| bill_id | congress | bill_type | bill_number | title | policy_area | introduced_date | latest_action_date | latest_action_text | origin_chamber | sponsor_name | sponsor_state | sponsor_party | sponsor_bioguide_id | cosponsor_count | summary_text | update_date | url |
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| 106-hr-5416 | 106 | hr | 5416 | Southeast Europe Trade Preference Act | Foreign Trade and International Finance | 2000-10-06 | 2000-10-16 | Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade. | House | Rep. Houghton, Amo [R-NY-31] | NY | R | H000814 | 0 | Southeast Europe Trade Preference Act - Authorizes the President to proclaim duty-free treatment for all eligible articles from any beneficiary country designated, subject to specified conditions, from among the following: (1) Albania; (2) Bosnia and Herzegovina; (3) Bulgaria; (4) Croatia; (5) the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; (6) Romania; (7) Slovenia; (8) Kosovo; and (9) Montenegro.(Sec. 5) Prohibits the President from designating any country a beneficiary country if it: (1) has nationalized, expropriated, or otherwise seized ownership or control of property owned by a U.S. citizen or by a corporation, partnership, or association 50 percent or more beneficially owned by U.S. citizens; or (2) has taken certain steps with respect to existing contracts or agreements with, or any patent, trademark, or other intellectual property of, such a person, or imposed or enforced taxes or other exactions, restrictive maintenance, or operational conditions, or other measures with respect to property so owned, the effect of which is to nationalize, expropriate, or otherwise seize ownership or control of such property. Waives such prohibition if the President determines to Congress that: (1) compensation has been or is being made to such owner; (2) good-faith negotiations to provide such compensation are in progress, or the country is otherwise taking steps to discharge its obligations under international law; or (3) a dispute over compensation for such a seizure has been submitted to arbitration under the Convention for the Settlement of Investment Disputes.Specifies other grounds for disqualifying a country for beneficiary designation, including: (1) failure to recognize or enforce arbitral awards in favor of U.S. owners; (2) preferential treatment to the products of a developed country other than the United States, with significant adverse effect on U.S. commerce; (3) broadcast of copyrighted material belonging to U.S. copyright owners by a government-owned entity without the owners' express consent; (4) absence of a treaty or other agreement regarding the extradition of U.S. citizens; (5) failure to take steps to afford workers in the country certain internationally recognized worker rights; or (6) membership in the European Union.Allows the President, in the U.S. national economic or security interest, to designate a beneficiary country even though one or more of such prohibitions apply (except in the case of membership in the European Union).Specifies factors for the President to consider in designating a beneficiary country.Permits beneficiary designation for Kosovo and Montenegro notwithstanding certain Federal law.Sets conditions for the beneficiary designation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.(Sec. 6) Specifies conditions for the duty-free treatment of articles which are the growth, product, or manufacture of a beneficiary country. Provides for exceptions to and suspension of such treatment, as well as emergency relief with respect to perishable products.(Sec. 7) Permits an increase in the duty-free tourist allowance with respect to beneficiary countries.(Sec. 8) Requires the U.S. International Trade Commission to report to Congress and the President on the economic impact of this Act on U.S. industries and consumers.(Sec. 9) Directs the Secretary of Labor to review, analyze, and report to Congress on this Act's impact on U.S. labor, as well as developments in labor conditions in the beneficiary countries. | 2025-08-20T14:17:36Z |