[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4041 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4041
To amend the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 to further enhance the
promotion of exports of United States goods and services, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 15, 2012
Mr. Berman (for himself and Mr. Manzullo) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 to further enhance the
promotion of exports of United States goods and services, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Export Promotion Reform Act''.
SEC. 2. IMPROVED COORDINATION EXPORT PROMOTION ACTIVITIES OF FEDERAL
AGENCIES.
Section 2312 of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (relating to the
Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee; 15 U.S.C. 4727) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(B) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph
(7); and
(C) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
``(6) in making the assessments under paragraph (5), review
the proposed annual budget of each agency described in
paragraph (5) before the agency submits that budget to the
Office of Management and Budget and the President for inclusion
in the budget of the United States submitted to Congress under
section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code; and'';
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (6) as
paragraphs (4) through (7), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
``(3) in conducting the review and developing the plan
under paragraph (2), take into account recommendations from a
representative number of United States exporters, in particular
small businesses and medium-sized businesses, and
representatives of United States workers;''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(g) Executive Order and Regulations.--The President shall issue
an executive order and such regulations as are necessary to provide the
chairperson of the TPCC with the authority to ensure that the TPCC
carries out each of its duties under subsection (b) and develops and
implements the strategic plan under subsection (c).
``(h) Definition.--In this section, the term `small business' means
a small business concern as defined under section 3 of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).''.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DEPLOYMENT OF U.S. COMMERCIAL SERVICE RESOURCES.
Section 2301(c)(4) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (relating
to the United States and Foreign Commercial Service; 15 U.S.C.
4721(c)(4)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (F) as
subparagraphs (C) through (G), respectively;
(2) by striking ``(4) Foreign offices.--(A) The Secretary
may'' and inserting the following:
``(4) Foreign offices.--(A)(i) The Secretary shall conduct
a global assessment of overseas markets to determine those with
the greatest potential for increasing United States exports,
and to redeploy the Commercial Service personnel and other
resources on the basis of the global assessment.
``(ii) The assessment conducted under clause (i) shall take
into account recommendations from a representative number of
United States exporters, in particular small- and medium-sized
businesses, and representatives of United States workers.
``(iii) Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment
of the Export Promotion Reform Act, the Secretary shall submit
to Congress results of the global assessment conducted under
clause (i) and a plan for redeployment of Commercial Service
personnel and other resources on the basis of the global
assessment.
``(iv) The Secretary shall conduct an assessment and
redeployment described in clause (i) not less than once in
every 5-year period.
``(B) The Secretary may''; and
(3) in subparagraph (F), as redesignated, by striking ``is
authorized, upon the request of the Secretary, to provide'' and
inserting ``shall, upon the request of the Secretary,
provide''.
SEC. 4. STRENGTHENED U.S. COMMERCIAL DIPLOMACY IN SUPPORT OF U.S.
EXPORTS.
(a) Development of Plan.--Section 207(c) of the Foreign Service Act
of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3927(c)) is amended--
(1) by inserting before the period at the end the
following: ``, including through the development of a plan,
drafted in consultation with the ambassador to such country,
the Director General of the United States and Foreign
Commercial Service, and the heads of other Federal departments
and agencies with export promotion programs acting through the
Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, for effective diplomacy
to remove or reduce obstacles to exports of United States goods
and services''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``The
chief of mission shall, prior to implementation of the plan
required under this subsection, submit to the Secretary such
plan for review by the Secretary.''.
(b) Assessments and Promotions.--Section 603(a) of the Foreign
Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4003(a)) is amended, in the second
sentence, by inserting before ``and (with respect to'' the following:
``assessments (with respect to members of the Service with
responsibilities relating to economic affairs) of the effectiveness of
efforts to promote the export of United States goods and services in
accordance with a commercial diplomacy plan developed pursuant to
section 207(c),''.
(c) Inspector General.--Section 209(b) of the Foreign Service Act
of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3929(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (4), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new
paragraph:
``(5) the effectiveness of commercial diplomacy relating to
the promotion of exports of United States goods and services;
and''.
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