May 7, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 75 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
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CHAMPIONING AMERICAN BUSINESS THROUGH DIPLOMACY ACT OF 2019; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 75
(House of Representatives - May 07, 2019)
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[Pages H3459-H3461] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] CHAMPIONING AMERICAN BUSINESS THROUGH DIPLOMACY ACT OF 2019 Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1704) to foster commercial relations with foreign countries and support United States economic and business interests abroad in the conduct of foreign policy, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1704 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 ``Championing American Business Through Diplomacy Act of 2019''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) According to the 2017 National Security Strategy of the United States of America, ``Retaining our position as the world's preeminent economic actor strengthens our ability to use the tools of economic diplomacy for the good of Americans and others.''. (2) A November 7, 2018, cable from Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo to all diplomatic and consular posts-- ``Boosting Commercial Diplomacy Around the World''--stated that ``helping American companies is a foreign policy priority . . . Promoting broad-based, responsible, and sustainable economic growth helps to stabilize regions and creates new and growing markets for U.S. companies. A transparent and level playing field for U.S. investment in these countries counters real and growing challenges such as China's Belt and Road initiative.''. (3) In the January-February 2019 issue of The Foreign Service Journal, Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, the President of the American Foreign Service Association, wrote ``Foreign Service support for American business . . . is a major reason why the U.S. Foreign Service was created.''. SEC. 3. ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. Subsection (c) of section 1 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a) is amended-- (1) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph: ``(3) Assistant secretary for economic and business matters.-- ``(A) In general.--Subject to the numerical limitation specified in paragraph (1), there is authorized to be established in the Department of State an Assistant Secretary of State who shall be responsible to the Secretary of State for matters pertaining to international economics and business matters in the conduct of foreign policy. ``(B) Matters contemplated.--The matters referred to in subparagraph (A) include the following: ``(i) International trade and investment policy. ``(ii) International finance, economic development, and debt policy. ``(iii) Economic sanctions and combating terrorist financing. ``(iv) International transportation policy. ``(v) Support for United States businesses. ``(vi) Economic policy analysis and private sector outreach. ``(vii) International data privacy and innovation policies. ``(viii) Such other related duties as the Secretary may from time to time designate.''. SEC. 4. CHIEF OF MISSION RESPONSIBILITIES. Section 207 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3927) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(d) Promotion of United States Economic Interests.--Each chief of mission to a foreign country shall have as a principal duty the promotion of United States economic and commercial interests in such country.''. SEC. 5. INCREASED TRAINING IN ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL DIPLOMACY. Section 708 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4028) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(d) Economic and Commercial Diplomacy.--The Secretary of State, with the assistance of other relevant officials and the private sector, shall establish as part of the standard training provided for economic and commercial officers of the Foreign Service, chiefs of mission, and deputy chiefs of mission, training on matters related to economic and commercial diplomacy, with particular attention to market access and other elements of an enabling framework for United States businesses, commercial advocacy, and United States foreign economic policy, in addition to awareness about the support of the United States Government available to United States businesses, including support provided by the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Trade and Development Agency, the Department of the Treasury, the United States Agency for International Development, and the United States International Development Finance Corporation.''. SEC. 6. REPORT FROM EACH MISSION ON MATTERS OF COMMERCIAL RELATIONS. (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the chief of mission at each bilateral diplomatic mission of the United States and the Director of the American Institute in Taiwan shall submit to the Secretary of State the following: (1) Data and other information regarding actions taken by each such mission or Institute during the previous year to foster commercial relations and safeguard United States economic and business interests in the country or region in which each such chief of mission and the Director serves. (2) Each such mission's and Institute's anticipated economic and commercial priorities for the coming year. (b) Report to Congress.--The Secretary of State, after receiving the information required under subsection (a), shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report, disaggregated by country or region, on activities and initiatives, including with appropriate examples, to create an enabling environment and otherwise promote United States economic and business interests in each such country or region, as well as information about significant foreign competition to United States businesses in the relevant country or region, including state-directed investments by foreign governments and United States strategic competitors in such country or region. SEC. 7. REPORT ON UNIFIED INVESTMENT CLIMATE STATEMENT AND COUNTRY COMMERCIAL GUIDE. (a) In General.--The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce shall jointly produce and make publicly available on a United States Government internet website an annual country- and region-specific report regarding commercial relations with foreign countries and regions and safeguarding United States economic and business interests abroad, including with regard to United States exports and investments, including by small- and medium-size enterprises. (b) Matters To Be Included.--Each report required under subsection (a) shall include the following with respect to each country or region covered by each such report: (1) Information about doing business in each country or region. (2) Background information about each country'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, customs, 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 exporting, including any prohibited items or temporary entry procedures. (6) Investment climate statements describing each country's or region's openness to foreign investments, such as information relating to each country'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 corruption; (F) level of political violence and instability; (G) adherence to internationally recognized core labor standards; and (H) protection of property rights. (7) Information about trade and project financing 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 activities in each country or region. (10) Any significant trade or commercial agreement 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 country or region for United States businesses. SEC. 8. IMPROVING AWARENESS OF UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TOOLS AND SERVICES TO SUPPORT UNITED STATES BUSINESSES OVERSEAS. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce shall take actions to improve United States businesses' 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 negotiations with countries to establish international standards for government-supported [[Page H3460]] quality infrastructure investment 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 safeguards. (5) Local labor. (6) Transparency. (b) Report on Progress of Negotiations.--Not later than one 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 two 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 required 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 diplomacy. (3) The effectiveness of training provided pursuant 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 commercial 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. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Sires) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey. General Leave Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1704, the Championing American Business Through Diplomacy Act of 2019. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New Jersey? There was no objection. Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank first Mr. McCaul for his hard work on this legislation. I am proud to be supporting this legislation, this bipartisan measure, which makes better use of State Department resources to increase exports of American-made goods and American-provided services and, in turn, creates more jobs for American workers. This important bill supports the 277,000 small and medium-sized businesses that are trying to sell U.S.-origin goods and services across the globe. They need help understanding the overseas market, locating customers for U.S.-origin products, dealing with local imports and customs rules, and arranging financing for their export sales. All these efforts support U.S. jobs. Economic officers in our embassies and at the State Department in Washington can help exporters deal with these challenges. This piece of legislation improves the State Department's training program for economic officers, affirms a long-standing directive to U.S. Ambassadors to include commercial and economic issues in their portfolios, and strengthens coordination between the State Department and the Commerce Department by consolidating data on overseas markets. These efforts fortify the key role of our State Department, provides critical confirmation to U.S. exporters, and makes more efficient use of public funds. H.R. 1704 is a critical bill that will not only spur exports and job growth but will ultimately improve the lives of the American people. Our sponsors and I would also like to clarify the requirements under section 9 of H.R. 1704 to ``initiate and pursue negotiations with countries to establish international standards for government-supported quality infrastructure investment overseas'' are intended to be fulfilled within the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. This bill does not direct or authorize the Secretary of State to initiate or pursue negotiations in the World Trade Organization or amend any multilateral or plurilateral WTO agreements. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my Championing American Business Through Diplomacy Act, which I was pleased to introduce with the support of my good friend, Chairman Engel. Promoting American business abroad means promoting American leadership, prosperity, and our values. It has always been, and should remain, a key component of global diplomacy. The very first edition of the Foreign Service Journal, then called American Consular Bulletin, published in March of 1919, included a letter from the editor that stated: ``The Consular Service was organized by our Government for the purpose of furthering the interests of American businesses abroad.'' This legislation makes the promotion of U.S. economic interests a principal duty of our missions abroad and requires economic and commercial training for our diplomats. It also directs our foreign missions to promote trade agreements and establish points of contact who can assist American businesses interested in entering those foreign markets. Promotion of American businesses abroad has never been more important. As transitioning economies work to expand their wealth and capacity, they look to America to bring expertise, financing, and ingenuity. If America does not step up its economic engagement in the world, this vacuum will be filled by others, with a potentially devastating impact on American national security. While I speak, China is aggressively filling that void. However, its approach does not respect the rights of workers, the environment, or even the sovereignty of other nations. China's Belt and Road Initiative is ensnaring developing nations into Chinese debt traps from which they may never escape. This effort is also leading to a new Chinese adventurism, complete with military outposts and expanded leverage in various countries. Ground zero for this competition in the developing world is Africa. I have spent much time with African Governments and business leaders. All have told me that America is just not there to compete. I applaud the administration for its new Prosper Africa efforts and know that this legislation is key to its success. I can think of no better antidote to combat this predatory influence than unleashing the vitality of American values through our private sector. I naturally think of the world-class tech and energy companies in my own district and home State of Texas. Creating more international opportunities for American businesses will help push back on growing Chinese influence across the globe. It is time for America to fully wake up and get on the field, or we may ask ourselves later why we did not do more to contain the Chinese threat. For these reasons, the Championing American Business Through Diplomacy Act is a critical initiative that deserves our unanimous support. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to just, again, thank Chairman Engel for his support of this bipartisan bill, which was adopted unanimously at our committee markup last month. American businesses represent ingenuity, industry, and opportunity. Unlike our strategic competitors, they do not go overseas pushing large, government-subsidized construction projects that involve massive debt or giving up control of strategic infrastructure. They seek only access to markets and a fair playing field, which allows the kind of win-win partnerships that are the genius of the free enterprise system. In this era of strategic competition, supporting their access to these economies abroad should be a priority of American diplomacy. The stability that we help provide with our enterprise will help bring us and the world security as well. That is the aim of this bill. [[Page H3461]] Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important measure, H.R. 1704, to fully and efficiently use the resources we already have to increase exports and create jobs and, in turn, improve the lives of the American people. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Sires) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1704. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. ____________________
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