[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 327 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 327

 To exempt agricultural products, medicines and medical products from 
                        U.S. economic sanctions.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 28, 1999

 Mr. Hagel (for himself, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Grams, Mr. Harkin, 
Mr. Lugar, Mr. Roberts, and Mr. Warner) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To exempt agricultural products, medicines and medical products from 
                        U.S. economic sanctions.

    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 ``Food and Medicine Sanctions Relief 
Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to exempt agricultural products, 
medicines and medical equipment from U.S. economic sanctions.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    (a) Prohibiting or otherwise restricting the donations or sales of 
food, other agricultural products, medicines or medical equipment in 
order to sanction a foreign government for actions or policies that the 
United States finds objectionable unnecessarily harms innocent 
populations in the targeted country and rarely causes the sanctioned 
government to alter its actions or policies.
    (b) For the United States as a matter of U.S. policy to deny access 
to United States food, other agricultural products, medicines, and 
medical equipment by innocent men, women and children in other 
countries weakens the international leadership and moral authority of 
the United States.
    (c) Sanctions on the sale or donations of American food, other 
agricultural products, medicine or medical equipment needlessly harm 
American farmers and workers employed in these sectors by foreclosing 
markets for these United States products.

SEC. 4. EXCLUSION FROM SANCTIONS.

    (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the President shall 
not restrict or otherwise prohibit any exports (including financing) of 
food, other agricultural products (including fertilizer), medicines or 
medical equipment as part of any policy of existing or future 
unilateral economic sanctions imposed against a foreign government.
    (b) Exceptions.--Section 4(a) of this Act shall not apply to any 
regulations or restrictions of such products for health or safety 
purposes or during periods of domestic shortages of such products.

SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    (a) The provisions of this Act shall become effective upon the 
enactment of this Act.
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