[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 714 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 714

     To urge the United States Trade Representative to pursue the 
   establishment of a small business advocate within the World Trade 
                 Organization, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 5, 2001

 Ms. Snowe (for herself and Mr. Kerry) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To urge the United States Trade Representative to pursue the 
   establishment of a small business advocate within the World Trade 
                 Organization, 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. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The number of United States small businesses involved 
        in exporting has tripled since 1987.
            (2) The dollar value of small business exports has grown 
        300 percent over the past 5 years.
            (3) Small business now accounts for 31 percent of the value 
        of United States exports.
            (4) Overall, 97 percent of all exporters are small 
        businesses, with the most dramatic export growth among 
        companies employing less than 20 people.
            (5) Firms engaged in international trade are 20 percent 
        more productive and employee wages are 15 percent higher than 
        firms that do not engage in international trade.
            (6) Firms that engage in international trade are 9 percent 
        less likely to go bankrupt and experience 20 percent greater 
        job growth than firms not engaged in trade.
            (7) Small and medium-sized businesses are the fastest 
        growing segment of the international business community. 
        However, many say that their interests have not been given 
        sufficient attention by international trade negotiators.
            (8) In the United States, less than 1 percent of small 
        businesses are engaged in trade-related business activities.
            (9) Small business advocates are not as visible or vocal in 
        the international trade arena as some other sectors and 
        interests due to lack of advocacy resources.
            (10) Small businesses often cannot afford to maintain in-
        house international trade expertise to resolve trade problems.
            (11) Small business advocacy groups often lack political 
        influence in foreign markets, which hinders solving problems 
        outside of the legal process.
            (12) Small businesses often do not have the sales volume to 
        overcome the costs of trade barriers and substantial overhead 
        expenses in international transactions.
            (13) The World Trade Organization is the principal 
        international organization with respect to governing world-wide 
        international trade.
            (14) Better coordination is needed between small businesses 
        and small business support and advocacy organizations and trade 
        agencies and organizations around the world.
            (15) The World Trade Organization has the potential to 
        address a wide range of global trade issues of concern to small 
        businesses in the United States.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE AT WTO.

    (a) In General.--It is the sense of Congress that the United States 
Trade Representative should pursue the establishment of a small 
business advocate at the World Trade Organization to safeguard the 
interests of small firms and represent those interests in trade 
negotiations involving the World Trade Organization.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the United States Trade Representative shall submit an 
interim report to Congress on the steps taken by the United States 
Trade Representative to pursue the establishment of a small business 
advocate at the World Trade Organization. The United States Trade 
Representative shall submit a final report on the steps taken to 
establish a small business advocate not later than 12 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act.
                                 <all>