[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2112 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2112

    To provide for the development and implementation of a national 
 strategy to encourage and promote opportunities for the United States 
 private sector to provide environmentally sound technology (including 
 marine biotechnology), goods, and services to the global market, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 12, 1993

    Mr. Studds (for himself, Ms. Furse, Mr. Olver, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. 
  Laughlin, Mrs. Unsoeld, Mr. Manton, Mr. Hughes, Mr. Lancaster, Ms. 
Eshoo, and Mr. Thompson of Mississippi) introduced the following bill; 
  which was referred jointly to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and 
                     Merchant Marine and Fisheries

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To provide for the development and implementation of a national 
 strategy to encourage and promote opportunities for the United States 
 private sector to provide environmentally sound technology (including 
 marine biotechnology), goods, and services to the global market, 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 ``National Environmental Trade 
Development Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The global market for environmental technology 
        (including marine biotechnology), goods, and services, is now 
        $270,000,000,000, and is estimated to grow to $500,000,000,000 
        by the year 2000.
            (2) The global environmental market has been stimulated by 
        the increased environmental awareness of developing nations, 
        the emergence of new republics in the former Soviet Union and 
        Eastern Europe, increased public awareness of the importance of 
        environmental protection, and the actions taken by nations at 
        the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, 
        which was held at Rio de Janeiro on June 3-15, 1992.
            (3) The United Nations Conference on Environment and 
        Development adopted ``Agenda 21'', which calls on all nations 
        to develop and implement national strategies for sustainable 
        development of their natural resources, including the wise use 
        of their ocean and coastal resources, and urges developed 
        countries to enter into technology cooperation arrangements 
        with developing countries for the provision of environmentally 
        sound technologies.
            (4) The United States private sector has developed regional 
        clusters of environmental businesses, nonprofit organizations, 
        and educational institutions in response to United States 
        environmental laws and regulations.
            (5) The United States historically has dominated in the 
        development of environmentally sound technology (including 
        marine biotechnology), goods, and services, but has never 
        gained a corresponding share of the market outside of the 
        United States, in part because other countries have more 
        extensive programs to assist the private sector in 
        environmental export promotion.
            (6) Experts estimate that the United States private sector 
        could create over 300,000 new jobs by the year 2000 based on an 
        increased share of the global market for environmental 
        technology.
            (7) At least 12 Federal agencies have some type of export 
        promotion program, but no single agency has overall 
        responsibility for export promotion and no agency is clearly 
        responsible for the promotion of environmental technology 
        exports.
            (8) Promoting United States environmental exports to the 
        global market will create jobs, assist nations to implement 
        sustainable development programs, including the wise use of 
        ocean and coastal resources, and enhance the role of the United 
        States as a leader in global environmental policy.

SEC. 3. POLICY AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Policy.--The Congress declares that it is the policy of the 
United States to maintain and enhance the role of the United States as 
a leader in exporting environmental technology (including marine 
biotechnology), goods, and services to the global market for the 
benefit of the global environment and to increase private sector jobs 
in the field of environmental technology (including marine 
biotechnology).
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act--
            (1) to encourage the United States private sector to 
        export, and assist the United States private sector in 
        exporting, environmental technology (including marine 
        biotechnology), goods, and services in order to carry out the 
        policy set forth in subsection (a);
            (2) to authorize the President, acting through the Office 
        of Environmental Policy and the National Economic Council, to 
        coordinate the relevant policies and programs of Federal 
        agencies to carry out the policy set forth in subsection (a);
            (3) to direct the Secretary of Commerce to ensure that the 
        policies and programs of the Department of Commerce, including 
        those of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
        are consistent with and will help carry out the policy set 
        forth in subsection (a);
            (4) to establish the Environmental Trade Promotion Council 
        of the United States, a public-private partnership, and require 
        the Council to develop a national strategy to promote 
        environmental exports;
            (5) to authorize matching funds to qualified regional 
        environmental business and technology cooperation centers to 
        provide export assistance, education, and training to small- 
        and medium-sized United States businesses entering the global 
        environmental market and to provide appropriate training to 
        foreign nationals;
            (6) to establish a senior-level environmental service corps 
        within the Peace Corps through which experienced environmental 
        professionals would assist developing countries and emerging 
        democracies to develop and implement their sustainable 
        development programs, including programs to promote the wise 
        use of ocean and coastal resources; and
            (7) to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to establish 
        American Business Centers, including Environmental Business 
        Centers, in nations that offer promising new markets for United 
        States environmental technologies.

SEC. 4. UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL TRADE PROMOTION STRATEGY.

    The President, acting through the Office of Environmental Policy 
and the National Economic Council, shall coordinate the export 
promotion programs of Federal agencies to ensure that these programs 
are consistent with and implement the national strategy to increase 
environmental exports that is developed by the Environmental Trade 
Promotion Council under section 6.

SEC. 5. COMMERCE DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL TRADE 
              PROMOTION STRATEGY.

    (a) Review.--The Secretary shall review the applicable policies and 
programs of the Department of Commerce, including those of the United 
States and Foreign Commercial Service and other components of the 
International Trade Administration, and those of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration, to ensure that these policies and 
programs are consistent with and implement the national strategy to 
increase environmental exports that is developed by the Environmental 
Trade Promotion Council under section 6.
    (b) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall report to the Congress 
any policies and programs that are found in the review conducted under 
subsection (a) to be inconsistent with the national strategy developed 
under section 6 and make recommendations for any legislative changes 
needed in the authorities of those programs to remove the 
inconsistency.
    (c) 1-Stop Shops.--
            (1) At the department of commerce.--The Secretary shall 
        establish at the Department of Commerce a 1-stop shop to 
        provide information to United States businesses selling 
        environmental technology (including marine biotechnology), 
        goods, and services on applicable technical and financial 
        assistance programs of the Department, potential global market 
        opportunities, including trade fairs, for those businesses, and 
        on international environmental regulations.
            (2) At united states and foreign commercial service 
        offices.--The Secretary shall establish at appropriate offices 
        of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service 1-stop 
        shops to provide information described in paragraph (1) to 
        United States businesses selling environmental technology 
        (including marine biotechnology), goods, and services in the 
        district or area served by each such office. In operating such 
        shops outside the United States, the Secretary shall cooperate 
        with the Regional Environmental Business and Technology 
        Cooperation Centers described in section 7.

SEC. 6. ENVIRONMENTAL TRADE PROMOTION COUNCIL.

    (a) Establishment.--The President shall establish an Environmental 
Trade Promotion Council (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 
``Council'').
    (b) Membership.--The Council shall be composed of the following 
members:
            (1) The Secretary of Commerce.
            (2) The Secretary of Energy.
            (3) The Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
        Agency.
            (4) The Administrator of the Agency for International 
        Development.
            (5) The Director of the Trade and Development Agency.
            (6) The President of the Export-Import Bank of the United 
        States.
            (7) The President of the Overseas Private Investment 
        Corporation.
            (8) 6 individuals appointed by the President from among 
        representatives of the United States environmental technology 
        industry, including one representative of the marine 
        biotechnology industry.
            (9) 3 individuals appointed by the President from among 
        representatives of labor, consumer protection, and 
        environmental conservation organizations.
            (10) 3 individuals appointed by the President from among 
        representatives of the States and associations representing the 
        States.
    (c) Chairperson.--The Secretary shall serve as the chairperson of 
the Council.
    (d) Functions of the Council.--The Council shall--
            (1) develop a national strategy to increase exports of 
        United States environmental technology (including marine 
        biotechnology), goods, and services;
            (2) work with the Environmental Trade Promotion Working 
        Group of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee in 
        developing the national strategy referred to in paragraph (1);
            (3) prepare an action plan to implement the national 
        strategy, including recommended guidelines for agencies 
        represented on the Council and the Environmental Trade 
        Promotion Working Group referred to in paragraph (2) to take 
        action within their respective agencies to promote exports of 
        environmental technologies;
            (3) submit the national strategy and action plan 
        simultaneously to the President and the Congress by April 30, 
        1994; and
            (4) make periodic reports to the President and the Congress 
        on the achievement of the goals of the national strategy and 
        the action plan.
    (e) Staff and Administration.--
            (1) Support services.--The Secretary shall provide to the 
        Council such administrative and technical support services as 
        are necessary for the effective functioning of the Council.
            (2) Other support.--The Administrator of General Services 
        shall furnish the Council with such offices, equipment, 
        supplies, and services as the Administrator is authorized to 
        furnish to any other agency or instrumentality of the United 
        States.
            (3) Compensation and expenses.--
                    (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), members 
                of the Council shall each be paid the daily equivalent 
                of the minimum rate of basic pay payable for grade GS-
                15 of the General Schedule for each day during which 
                they are engaged in the actual performance of duties 
                vested in the Council.
                    (B) Members of the Council who are officers and 
                employees of the United States may not receive 
                additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of 
                their service on the Council.
                    (C) Each member of the Council shall receive travel 
                expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
                accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, 
                United States Code.
    (f) Disclosure of Financial Interest.--Each member of the Council 
appointed under paragraph (8) or (9) of subsection (b) shall file with 
the Secretary, before serving on the Council, a statement of financial 
interest that that individual, or the spouse, minor child, or partner 
of that individual may have in an activity that may be addressed by the 
national strategy or action plan developed under subsection (d).
    (g) Procedural Matters.--
            (1) Federal advisory committee act.--The Council is not an 
        advisory committee for purposes of the Federal Advisory 
        Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 1.).
            (2) Open meetings.--The meetings of the Council shall be 
        open to the public and timely public notice shall be provided 
        in advance of each regular meeting of the Council.
    (h) Sunset.--The Council shall cease to exist on September 30, 
1998.

SEC. 7. REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION 
              CENTERS.

    (a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to provide matching 
funds for the establishment of regional environmental business and 
technology cooperation centers that will draw upon their own expertise 
to provide assistance, education, and training for United States and 
foreign companies and organizations engaged in providing and acquiring 
United States environmental technology (including marine 
biotechnology), goods, and services.
    (b) Regional Environmental Business and Technology Cooperation 
Centers.--Eligible government and private sector organizations that are 
actively engaged in providing export assistance to small- and medium-
sized environmental businesses and environmental training to foreign 
nationals may apply to the Secretary, in such form and manner as the 
Secretary may prescribe, for designation as a Regional Environmental 
Business and Technology Cooperation Center. Eligible organizations 
include State and local government agencies, small- and medium-sized 
businesses, and appropriate programs implemented by professional 
societies, worker organizations, industrial organizations, for-profit 
and nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education, 
including those designated as sea grant colleges under the National Sea 
Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121 and following).
    (c) Standards for Designation of Centers.--The Secretary shall 
establish standards for designating organizations or programs described 
in subsection (b) as Regional Environmental Business and Technology 
Cooperation Centers. In establishing such standards, the Secretary 
shall give priority to--
            (1) already existing centers and organizations which have 
        demonstrated competence in the areas of environmental education 
        and training and provision of export assistance to small- and 
        medium-sized businesses; and
            (2) any group of eligible organizations that would be 
        designated as a single Regional Environmental Business and 
        Technology Cooperation Center.
    (d) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary may, subject to the 
        availability of appropriations, make grants to Regional 
        Environmental Business and Technology Cooperation Centers 
        designated under subsection (b).
            (2) Use of grants.--Grants awarded under paragraph (1) may 
        be used by a Regional Environmental Business and Technology 
        Cooperation Center--
                    (A) to identify the needs of specified foreign 
                countries and areas for United States environmental 
                technology (including marine biotechnology), goods, and 
                services;
                    (B) to provide technical assistance on export 
                development programs to small- and medium-sized 
                businesses, in the region served by the Center, that 
                have an interest in exporting such environmental 
                technology, goods, and services;
                    (C) to conduct programs in the United States of 
                training and education of foreign nationals in 
                environmental management, coastal zone management, 
                sustainable development, marine pollution prevention 
                and response, marine biotechnology, and environmental 
                business management; and
                    (D) to perform other services to promote the export 
                of United States environmental technology (including 
                marine biotechnology), goods, and services.
            (3) Terms of grants.--Each grant under this subsection may 
        be awarded for an initial period of not more than 3 years and 
        may be renewed for one additional period of not more than 2 
        years. Each such grant may not at any time exceed 50 percent of 
        the operating costs of the recipient Regional Environmental 
        Business and Technology Cooperation Center and shall be matched 
        by financial and in-kind contributions of the Center.
            (4) Limitation in number of grants.--The Secretary is 
        authorized to make grants under this section to not more than 6 
        Regional Environmental Business and Technology Cooperation 
        Centers.

SEC. 8. SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE CORPS.

    The Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2501-2523) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

``SEC. 29. SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE CORPS.

    ``(a) Establishment of Senior Environmental Service Corps.--There 
is established within the Peace Corps a division known as the `Senior 
Environmental Service Corps'.
    ``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Senior Environmental Service 
Corps is to provide volunteers with experience in environmental 
management, environmental technology (including marine biotechnology), 
sustainable development, coastal zone management, or marine pollution 
and prevention, to countries requesting volunteers with these skills.
    ``(c) Duties and Responsibilities.--Volunteers in the Senior 
Environmental Service Corps shall provide advice to foreign 
governments, ministries, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and 
others in environmental management, strategies, and practices.
    ``(d) Terms and Conditions of Service.--The President shall enroll 
volunteers in the Senior Environmental Service Corps in the same manner 
and under the same terms and conditions of service as other volunteers 
are enrolled under section 5 of this Act, except that volunteers in the 
Senior Environmental Service Corps may be provided with stipends 
sufficient to enable them to fulfill the functions described in 
subsection (c) of this section.''.

SEC. 9. AMERICAN BUSINESS CENTERS.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary is authorized and encouraged to 
establish American Business Centers, including Environmental Business 
Centers, in such countries that the Secretary determines offer 
promising new market possibilities for the export of United States 
environmental technology (including marine biotechnology), goods and 
services. To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall use 
the private sector to establish such Centers.
    (b) Policy Guidance.--To the extent consistent with the policy and 
purposes of this Act, the Secretary shall comply with the directives 
set forth in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), and (6) of section 301(c) 
of the Freedom Support Act of 1992 (22 U.S.C. 5821) in establishing 
American Business Centers and Environmental Business Centers under this 
section.

SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated--
            (1) to the Secretary of Commerce--
                    (A) $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1994, 1995, 
                1996, 1997, and 1998, to carry out sections 5, 6, and 
                9; and
                    (B) $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1994, 1995, 
                1996, 1997, and 1998, to carry out section 7; and
            (2) to the Director of the Peace Corps $1,500,000 for each 
        of fiscal years 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998 to carry out 
        section 8.
Sums appropriated pursuant to paragraph (2) shall remain available for 
2 fiscal years.

SEC. 11. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act--
            (1) the term ``export promotion program'' means any 
        activity of the Federal Government designed to stimulate or 
        assist United States businesses in marketing their goods and 
        services, including environmental technology, abroad;
            (2) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Commerce, 
        and
            (3) the term ``State'' means each of the several States, 
        the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or 
        possession of the United States.

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HR 2112 IH----2