{
  "id": "RL31780",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL31780",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 101544,
      "date": "2003-03-11",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-08T14:50:59.894544",
      "title": "Trade and the 108th Congress: Major Legislative and Oversight Initiatives",
      "summary": "Trade will continue to be an active topic for the 108th Congress. However, with the passage of\nthe\nTrade Act of 2002, it is not expected that the 108th Congress will consider comprehensive legislation\nthat might alter the basic foundation of U.S. trade statutes. Nevertheless, several legislative\ninitiatives and active oversight of a growing number of specific issues can be expected. \n  Legislatively, the Bush Administration later this year is expected to ask Congress to approve\nfree trade agreements (FTAs) it has concluded with Chile and Singapore. If the Administration this\nyear or early next year concludes FTA negotiations with Central America, Morocco, Australia, and\nthe South African Customs Union, it could submit implementing legislation to Congress in 2004. \n  The 108th Congress inherits several disputes where the World Trade Organization (WTO) has\nruled that U.S. laws violate world trade obligations and the periods for U.S. compliance have ended\nor will end in 2003. Barring abolition or significant modification of the several statutes in question,\nthe European Union (EU) could decide to retaliate against U.S. exports this year or next. The largest\nthreat involves a WTO ruling that a U.S. export tax benefit is an illegal subsidy. At the same time,\nthe EU remains in non-compliance with its WTO obligation to allow imports of beef treated with\ngrowth hormones.\n  President Bush has asked the 108th Congress to extend permanent normal trade relations\n(PNTR) status to Russia. While the lack of PNTR has no direct impact on U.S.-Russian trade flows,\nmany policymakers see existing the existing Jackson-Vanik emmigration requirements as a legacy\nof the Cold War and not appropriate for today's relationship. However, agricultural trade disputes \nare complicating efforts to move in this direction. Congress will continue efforts of the 107th\nCongress to rewrite and reauthorize the Export Administration Act of 1979 (EAA). The EAA\nprovides the statutory authority for export controls on sensitive dual-use goods and technologies,\nitems that have both civilian and military applications. Trade preference programs may also receive\nlegislative action this year. Bills to extend and possibly enhance tariff preferences for African\ncountries may be considered. \n  In terms of oversight, Congress is expected to monitor closely an unprecedented number of \ntrade agreements - bilateral, regional, and multilateral -- that the Bush Administration is currently\nnegotiating, or is proposing to negotiate. Considerable attention also is expected to be devoted to\nthe two broadest trade agreements being negotiated -- the Western Hemisphere's Free Trade Area\nof the Americas and the WTO Doha Development Agenda. Both negotiations are on-going and\nscheduled to be concluded by January 2005. This report will be updated to reflect legislative and\nother major developments. For further information, see the CRS reports listed after each section.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
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      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "American Law",
    "Foreign Affairs",
    "Industry and Trade"
  ]
}