[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3381 Engrossed in House (EH)]


  1st Session

                               H. R. 3381

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

  To reauthorize the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the 
         Trade and Development Agency, and for other purposes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3381

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To reauthorize the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the 
         Trade and Development Agency, 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 ``Export Enhancement Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. OPIC ISSUING AUTHORITY.

    Section 235(a)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2195(a)(3)) is amended by striking ``1999'' and inserting ``2003''.

SEC. 3. IMPACT OF OPIC PROGRAMS.

    (a) Additional Requirements.--Section 231A of the Foreign 
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2191a) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c);
            (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(b) Environmental Impact.--The Board of Directors of the 
Corporation shall not vote in favor of any action proposed to be taken 
by the Corporation that is likely to have significant adverse 
environmental impacts that are sensitive, diverse, or unprecedented, 
unless for at least 60 days before the date of the vote--
            ``(1) an environmental impact assessment or initial 
        environmental audit, analyzing the environmental impacts of the 
        proposed action and of alternatives to the proposed action has 
        been completed by the project applicant and made available to 
        the Board of Directors; and
            ``(2) such assessment or audit has been made available to 
        the public of the United States, locally affected groups in the 
        host country, and host country nongovernmental 
        organizations.''; and
            (3) in subsection (c), as so redesignated--
                    (A) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The Board'; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(2) In conjunction with each meeting of its Board of Directors, 
the Corporation shall hold a public hearing in order to afford an 
opportunity for any person to present views regarding the activities of 
the Corporation. Such views shall be made part of the record.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF OPIC.

    Section 233(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2193(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking the second and third sentences;
            (2) in the fourth sentence by striking ``(other than the 
        President of the Corporation, appointed pursuant to subsection 
        (c) who shall serve as a Director, ex officio)'';
            (3) in the second undesignated paragraph--
                    (A) by inserting ``the President of the 
                Corporation, the Administrator of the Agency for 
                International Development, the United States Trade 
                Representative, and'' after ``including''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following: ``The 
                United States Trade Representative may designate a 
                Deputy United States Trade Representative to serve on 
                the Board in place of the United States Trade 
                Representative.''; and
            (4) by inserting after the second undesignated paragraph 
        the following:
    ``There shall be a Chairman and a Vice Chairman of the Board, both 
of whom shall be designated by the President of the United States from 
among the Directors of the Board other than those appointed under the 
second sentence of the first paragraph of this subsection.''.

SEC. 5. TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY.

    (a) Purpose.--Section 661(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
(22 U.S.C. 2421(a)) is amended by inserting before the period at the 
end of the second sentence the following: ``, with special emphasis on 
economic sectors with significant United States export potential, such 
as energy, transportation, telecommunications, and environment''.
    (b) Contributions of Costs.--Section 661(b) of the Foreign 
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2421(b)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
            ``(5) Contributions to costs.--The Trade and Development 
        Agency shall, to the maximum extent practicable, require 
        corporations and other entities to--
                    ``(A) share the costs of feasibility studies and 
                other project planning services funded under this 
                section; and
                    ``(B) reimburse the Trade and Development Agency 
                those funds provided under this section, if the 
                corporation or entity concerned succeeds in project 
                implementation.''.
    (c) Funding.--Section 661(f) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
(22 U.S.C. 2421(f)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(A) by striking ``$77,000,000'' and all 
        that follows through ``1996'' and inserting ``$48,000,000 for 
        fiscal year 2000 and such sums as may be necessary for each 
        fiscal year thereafter''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``in fiscal years'' 
        and all that follows through ``provides'' and inserting ``in 
        carrying out its program, provide, as appropriate, funds''.

SEC. 6. IMPLEMENTATION OF PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF TPCC.

    The Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee shall--
            (1) report on the actions taken or efforts currently 
        underway to eliminate the areas of overlap and duplication 
        identified among Federal export promotion activities;
            (2) coordinate efforts to sponsor or promote any trade show 
        or trade fair;
            (3) work with all relevant State and national 
        organizations, including the National Governors' Association, 
        that have established trade promotion offices;
            (4) report on actions taken or efforts currently underway 
        to promote better coordination between State, Federal, and 
        private sector export promotion activities, including co-
        location, cost sharing between Federal, State, and private 
        sector export promotion programs, and sharing of market 
        research data; and
            (5) by not later than March 30, 2000, and annually 
        thereafter, include the matters addressed in paragraphs (1), 
        (2), (3), and (4) in the annual report required to be submitted 
        under section 2312(f) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 
        U.S.C. 4727(f)).

SEC. 7. TIMING OF TPCC REPORTS.

    Section 2312(f) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 
4727(f)) is amended by striking ``September 30, 1995, and annually 
thereafter,'' and inserting ``March 30 of each year,''.

            Passed the House of Representatives November 17, 1999.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.