[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 132 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 132

    Expressing the sense of Congress on the importance of promoting 
              electronic commerce, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 10, 2001

  Mrs. Tauscher (for herself and Mr. Dreier) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and 
                                 Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing the sense of Congress on the importance of promoting 
              electronic commerce, and for other purposes.

Whereas information technologies have spurred additional growth and efficiency 
        for the United States economy, given consumers greater power and choice, 
        and created new opportunities for entrepreneurs;
Whereas an estimated 60 percent of American businesses are involved in 
        electronic commerce;
Whereas in 2000, business-to-consumer electronic transactions were estimated at 
        $61,000,000,000 and business-to-business electronic transactions at 
        nearly $200,000,000,000;
Whereas economists have shown that the higher a nation's Internet usage, the 
        faster cross-border trade increases, especially among developing 
        nations;
Whereas cross-border electronic commerce represents a revolutionary form of 
        international trade, one that will provide new opportunities for growth, 
        efficiency, and rising living standards in the United States and 
        overseas;
Whereas in this era of policy development for global electronic commerce, 
        certain policy measures could push Internet users into localized regions 
        of the World Wide Web, significantly reducing long-term opportunities 
        for growth and development;
Whereas the current World Trade Organization (WTO) trade rules, including (the 
        General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the General Agreement on Trade 
        in Services, and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual 
        Property) apply to e-commerce;
Whereas the growth of international trade via global electronic commerce could 
        be stunted by domestic policies or measures that have the effect of 
        reducing or eliminating competition; and
Whereas carefully coordinated agreements that ensure open markets, broad access, 
        competition, and limited burdens on e-commerce can facilitate growth and 
        development in the United States and overseas: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade 
        Representative should make the promotion of cross-border trade 
        via electronic commerce a high priority;
            (2) the United States should work in good faith with our 
        trading partners to develop a cross-border trade regime that 
        promotes the continued growth of electronic commerce and 
        advances the interests of Internet buyers and sellers in 
        different countries; and
            (3) the United States should encourage members of the World 
        Trade Organization to--
                    (A) promote the development of infrastructures that 
                are necessary to conduct e-commerce;
                    (B) promote the development of trade in goods and 
                services via e-commerce;
                    (C) ensure that products delivered electronically 
                receive the most beneficial treatment available under 
                trade agreements relating to similar products that are 
                delivered physically, including market access and non-
                discriminatory treatment; and
                    (D) refrain from adopting measures that would 
                constitute actual or potential trade barriers to 
                electronic commerce, and ensure that all other measures 
                are predictable and transparent.
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