[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4832 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4832

    To apply the column 2 duty rate to the products of the People's 
 Republic of China, with certain provisions relating to worker rights 
                          and the environment.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 26, 1994

  Ms. Kaptur (for herself, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Solomon, and Mrs. Bentley) 
   introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to the 
            Committees on Ways and Means and Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To apply the column 2 duty rate to the products of the People's 
 Republic of China, with certain provisions relating to worker rights 
                          and the environment.

    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 ``Fair Standards in Trade Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act of offset inequities affecting United 
States trade with the People's Republic of China due to poor labor 
standards, undemocratic policies, and lack of environmental standards 
in the People's Republic of China.

SEC. 3. TARIFF TREATMENT OF GOODS FROM CHINA.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the rate of duty 
provided for in column 2 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 
United States shall apply to goods that are the growth, product, or 
manufacture of the People's Republic of China.

SEC. 4. REDUCTION OF DUTIES COMMENSURATE WITH PROTECTION OF WORKER 
              RIGHTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

    (a) In General.--The President may by proclamation reduce the 
tariffs imposed by section 1 to the extent of, and in proportion to, 
the progress that the Government of the People's Republic of China has 
made towards--
            (1) adopting and enforcing laws to provide effective 
        natural resource protection and achieving effective pollution 
        abatement and control standards to protect the air, water, and 
        land, both domestically and internationally; and
            (2) adhering to internationally recognized worker rights.
    (b) Limitation on Reductions.--No reduction under subsection (a) 
may result in the imposition of a tariff less than that imposed on 
products from other countries that receive nondiscriminatory treatment.

SEC. 5. USE OF INCREASED REVENUES.

    The revenues derived from tariffs imposed under this Act in excess 
of the revenues that would be derived from tariffs on goods from the 
People's Republic of China but for the enactment of this Act shall be 
deposited in a separate account in the Treasury. Amounts in such 
account may be used to promote the export to the People's Republic of 
China, under authorities otherwise provided by law of goods and 
services produced in the United States, particularly goods and services 
designed to promote protection or conservation of the environment.

SEC. 6. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

    The President shall submit reports annually to the Congress on the 
progress the Government of China has made toward the goals set forth in 
section 3(a), and any tariff reductions implemented as a result of such 
progress.

SEC. 7. DEFINITION.

    For purposes of this Act, the term ``internationally recognized 
worker rights'' includes--
            (1) the right of association;
            (2) the right to organize and bargain collectively;
            (3) a prohibition on the use of any form of forced or 
        compulsory labor;
            (4) provision for occupational safety and health for all 
        workers; and
            (5) acceptable minimum standards with respect to wages, 
        hours of work, and the age at which children may be employed.
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