[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3578 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3578

   To provide for a judicial and administrative remedy for disputes 
        arising under certain agreements with foreign entities.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 27, 1998

 Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Payne, Mr. Frelinghuysen, 
 Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Franks of New Jersey, and Mr. Traficant) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                             the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide for a judicial and administrative remedy for disputes 
        arising under certain agreements with foreign entities.

    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 ``Protecting American Small Business 
Trade Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. JUDICIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDY TO ENFORCE CERTAIN 
              ARBITRATION CLAUSES.

    (a) Judicial Remedy.--Any person who has entered into any contract, 
license, or other agreement with any foreign entity before July 1, 
1985, that contains a provision to settle by arbitration any 
controversy arising out of such contract, license, or other agreement, 
shall not be barred from bringing an action in any court of competent 
jurisdiction in the United States, including any Federal or State 
court, or from seeking appropriate relief from any agency of the United 
States, to resolve any controversy arising under such contract, 
license, or other agreement.
    (b) Person.--For purposes of this section, the term ``person'' 
means--
            (1) any natural person residing in the United States; and
            (2) any corporation, partnership, or other entity organized 
        under the laws of the United States.

SEC. 2. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.

    The right under section 1 to bring an action in a court or to seek 
appropriate relief from an agency of the United States applies only if 
the action is commenced, or petition for relief is filed, within the 
180-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.
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