[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2654 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2654

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             October 21 (legislative day, October 2), 1998

Mr. Torricelli introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
               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.--In 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.
    (c) Statute of Limitations.--The right under subsection (a) 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, before the expiration of the 180-day 
period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act.
                                 <all>