[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2400 Introduced in House (IH)]
103d CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2400
To amend title 13, United States Code, to require the Secretary of
Commerce to prepare annual assessments of the progress being made by
the independent states of the former Soviet Union and the Baltic states
in establishing a free market economy, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 10, 1993
Mr. Sawyer introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to
the Committees on Post Office and Civil Service and Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 13, United States Code, to require the Secretary of
Commerce to prepare annual assessments of the progress being made by
the independent states of the former Soviet Union and the Baltic states
in establishing a free market economy, 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 ``International Statistical
Information and Analysis Act of 1993''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) Both the public and private sectors in the United
States would benefit from the collection, analysis, and
dissemination of reliable statistical information about the
independent states of the former Soviet Union and the Baltic
states.
(2) Statistical information about the independent states of
the former Soviet Union and the Baltic states can be used in
policy development on issues ranging from domestic and foreign
trade to international population growth, health, and the
environment. United States Government statistical agencies
could use data collected in the independent states and the
Baltic states to develop statistical comparisons between the
United States and the rest of the world.
(3) Reliable economic statistical information can also
assist United States businesses in identifying trade and
investment opportunities in the independent states of the
former Soviet Union and the Baltic states.
(4) Reliable information is needed about economic
performance at both the macro and micro-economic levels as the
independent states of the former Soviet Union and the Baltic
states make the transition from a centrally planned economy to
a free market economy.
(5) Reliable economic statistical information is especially
important in evaluating the effectiveness of assistance
provided to the independent states of the former Soviet Union
and the Baltic states by the United States Government, by
nongovernmental organizations, and by international financial
institutions.
(6) Such evaluations would be facilitated by annual
reports, prepared by the Secretary of Commerce with the
assistance of United States Government statistical agencies,
assessing the progress being made by the independent states of
the former Soviet Union and the Baltic states in establishing a
free market economy.
(7) United States Government statistical agencies (such as
the Bureau of the Census of the Department of Commerce, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor, the
Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce, and
the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the Department
of Agriculture) have been involved in providing statistical
assistance to foreign countries for more than 40 years.
(8) United States Government statistical agencies have set
the standard for modern statistical methodology used throughout
the world.
(9) United States Government statistical agencies have the
personnel, facilities, expertise, and other resources to
provide training and other technical assistance to the
independent states of the former Soviet Union and the Baltic
states with respect to the collection, analysis, and
dissemination of economic statistical data. In addition, to the
extent that the independent states or Baltic states use non-
standard collection methods, United States Government
statistical agencies have the ablility to reconcile discrepant
data, thereby increasing its usefulness.
SEC. 3. ECONOMIC STATISTICAL ANALYSIS REGARDING INDEPENDENT STATES OF
THE FORMER SOVIET UNION AND BALTIC STATES.
(a) Amendment to Title 13.--Title 13 of the United States Code is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``CHAPTER 11--ECONOMIC STATISTICAL ANALYSIS REGARDING INDEPENDENT
STATES OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION AND BALTIC STATES
``Sec.
``501. Preparation and publication of analysis.
``502. Definitions.
``Sec. 501. Preparation and publication of analysis
``(a) The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Congress each
year a report analyzing the progress being made by the the independent
states of the former Soviet Union and the Baltic states in establishing
a free market economy.
``(b) In preparing the reports required by subsection (a), the
Secretary shall draw upon the information collected and the analysis
performed under the auspices of the International Statistical
Assistance Coordinating Committee established pursuant to section 4 of
the International Statistical Information and Analysis Coordination Act
of 1993.
``(c) The first report pursuant to subsection (a) shall be
submitted as soon as reliable economic statistical information is
available about the independent states of the former Soviet Union and
the Baltic states, but not later than 5 years after the date of
enactment of this chapter.
``Sec. 502. Definitions
``As used in this chapter--
``(1) the term `independent states of the former Soviet
Union' means Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,
and Uzbekistan; and
``(2) the term `Baltic states' means Estonia, Latvia, and
Lithuania.''.
(b) Amendment to Table of Chapters.--The table of chapters at the
beginning of title 13, United States Code, is amended by adding at the
end the following new item:
``11. Economic statistical analysis regarding independent 501''.
states of the former Soviet
Union and Baltic states.
SEC. 4. INTERNATIONAL STATISTICAL ASSISTANCE COORDINATING COMMITTEE.
(a) Establishment and Membership.--The President shall establish an
interagency committee to be known as the ``International Statistical
Assistance Coordinating Committee'' (hereinafter in this Act referred
to as the ``Coordinating Committee''). The Coordinating Committee shall
consist of a representative of each of the following:
(1) The Office of Management and Budget.
(2) The Bureau of the Census of the Department of Commerce.
(3) The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of
Labor.
(4) The Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of
Commerce.
(5) The National Agricultural Statistics Service of the
Department of Agriculture.
(6) The Agency for International Development.
(b) Functions.--Consistent with section 104(a) of the Freedom for
Russia and Emerging Eurasian Democracies and Open Markets Support Act
of 1992 (relating to Department of State coordination of assistance to
the independent states of the former Soviet Union), the Coordinating
Committee--
(1) shall determine priorities for providing training and
other technical assistance to develop capabilities to monitor
economic performance in the independent states of the former
Soviet Union and the Baltic states through the collection,
analysis, and dissemination of economic statistical data;
(2) shall use the expertise of its constituent agencies in
providing such assistance;
(3) shall be responsible for coordinating such assistance
with comparable assistance provided or coordinated by
international or multilateral organizations or agencies; and
(4) shall provide for the analysis by its constituent
agencies of economic statistical data regarding the independent
states of the former Soviet Union and the Baltic states and for
the dissemination of such analysis to United States businesses
and other interested parties, including dissemination through
the annual report required by section 501 of title 13, United
States Code.
(c) Annual Reports.--The Coordinating Committee shall prepare an
annual report describing the assistance provided through the
Coordinating Committee pursuant to this section. Such report shall be
submitted to the Congress as part of the annual congressional
presentation materials on international economic assistance.
SEC. 5. UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE TO IMPROVE MONITORING OF ECONOMIC
PERFORMANCE IN INDEPENDENT STATES OF THE FORMER SOVIET
UNION AND BALTIC STATES.
(a) Statistical Capability Assistance.--United States assistance
that is provided to encourage the development of a free-market economic
system in the independent states of the former Soviet Union and the
Baltic states shall include training and other technical assistance to
develop capabilities to monitor economic performance in those republics
and states through the collection, analysis, and dissemination of
economic statistical data.
(b) International Statistical Assistance Coordinating Committee.--
The assistance required by subsection (a) shall be coordinated through
the Coordinating Committee and shall otherwise be provided in
accordance with section 4(b).
(c) Funding.--It is the sense of the Congress that at least
$3,000,000 of the funds allocated for each of the fiscal years 1994
through 1998 for United States economic assistance to encourage the
development of a free-market economic system in the independent states
of the former Soviet Union and the Baltic states should be used for
training and other technical assistance pursuant to this section.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Act--
(1) the term ``independent states of the former Soviet
Union'' means Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan; and
(2) the term ``Baltic states'' means Estonia, Latvia, and
Lithuania.
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