[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1234 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1234

  To reauthorize the Federal Trade Commission, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 11, 2003

 Mr. McCain (for himself and Mr. Smith) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To reauthorize the Federal Trade Commission, 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 ``Federal Trade Commission 
Reauthorization Act of 2003''.

                        TITLE I--REAUTHORIZATION

SEC. 101. REAUTHORIZATION.

    The text of section 25 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 
U.S.C. 57c) is amended to read as follows:
    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the 
functions, powers, and duties of the Commission not to exceed 
$194,742,000 for fiscal year 2004, $224,695,000 for fiscal year 2005, 
and $235,457,000 for fiscal year 2006.''.

SEC. 102. AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT REIMBURSEMENTS, GIFTS, AND VOLUNTARY AND 
              UNCOMPENSATED SERVICES.

    The Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating section 26 as section 28; and
            (2) by inserting after section 25 the following:

``SEC. 26. REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES.

    ``The Commission may accept payment or reimbursement, in cash or in 
kind, from a domestic or foreign law enforcement authority, or payment 
or reimbursement made on behalf of such authority, for expenses 
incurred by the Commission, its members, or employees in carrying out 
any activity pursuant to a statute administered by the Commission 
without regard to any other provision of law. Any such payments or 
reimbursements shall be considered a reimbursement to the appropriated 
funds of the Commission.

``SEC. 27. GIFTS AND VOLUNTARY AND UNCOMPENSATED SERVICES.

    ``(a) In General.--In furtherance of its functions the Commission 
may accept, hold, administer, and use unconditional gifts, donations, 
and bequests of real, personal, and other property and, notwithstanding 
section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, accept voluntary and 
uncompensated services.
    ``(b) Limitations.--
            ``(1) Conflicts of interest.--Notwithstanding subsection 
        (a), the Commission may not accept, hold, administer, or use a 
        gift, donation, or bequest if the acceptance, holding, 
        administration, or use would create a conflict of interest or 
        the appearance of a conflict of interest.
            ``(2) Voluntary services.--A person who provides voluntary 
        and uncompensated service under subsection (a) shall not be 
        considered a Federal employee for any purpose other than for 
        purposes of chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, 
        (relating to compensation for injury) and section 2671 through 
        2680 of title 28, United States Code, (relating to tort 
        claims).''.

              TITLE II--INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER PROTECTION

SEC. 201. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Federal Trade Commission protects consumers from 
        fraud and deception. Cross-border fraud and deception are 
        growing international problems that affect American consumers 
        and businesses.
            (2) The development of the Internet and improvements in 
        telecommunications technologies have brought significant 
        benefits to consumers. At the same time, they have also 
        provided unprecedented opportunities for those engaged in fraud 
        and deception to establish operations in one country and 
        victimize a large number of consumers in other countries.
            (3) An increasing number of consumer complaints collected 
        in the Consumer Sentinel database maintained by the Commission, 
        and an increasing number of cases brought by the Commission, 
        involve foreign consumers, foreign businesses or individuals, 
        or assets or evidence located outside the United States.
            (4) The Commission has legal authority to remedy law 
        violations involving domestic and foreign wrongdoers, pursuant 
        to the Federal Trade Commission Act. The Commission's ability 
        to obtain effective relief using this authority, however, may 
        face practical impediments when wrongdoers, victims, other 
        witnesses, documents, money and third parties involved in the 
        transaction are widely dispersed in many different 
        jurisdictions. Such circumstances make it difficult for the 
        Commission to gather all the information necessary to detect 
        injurious practices, to recover offshore assets for consumer 
        redress, and to reach conduct occurring outside the United 
        States that affects United States consumers.
            (5) Improving the ability of the Commission and its foreign 
        counterparts to share information about cross-border fraud and 
        deception, to conduct joint and parallel investigations, and to 
        assist each other is critical to achieve more timely and 
        effective enforcement in cross-border cases.
            (6) Consequently, Congress should enact legislation to 
        provide the Commission with more tools to protect consumers 
        across borders.

SEC. 202. FOREIGN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY DEFINED.

    Section 4 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 44) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ```Foreign law enforcement agency' means--
            ``(1) any agency or judicial authority of a foreign 
        government, including a foreign state, a political subdivision 
        of a foreign state, or a multinational organization constituted 
        by and comprised of foreign states, that is vested with law 
        enforcement or investigative authority in civil, criminal, or 
        administrative matters;
            ``(2) any multinational organization, to the extent that it 
        is acting on behalf of an entity described in paragraph (1); or
            ``(3) any organization that is vested with authority, as a 
        principal mission, to enforce laws against fraudulent, 
        deceptive, misleading, or unfair commercial practices affecting 
        consumers, in accordance with criteria laid down by law, by a 
        foreign state or a political subdivision of a foreign state.''.

SEC. 203. SHARING INFORMATION WITH FOREIGN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 21(b)(6) of the Federal Trade Commission 
Act (15 U.S.C. 57b-2(b)(6)) is amended by adding at the end ``The 
custodian may make such material available to any foreign law 
enforcement agency upon the prior certification of any officer of any 
such foreign law enforcement agency that such material will be 
maintained in confidence and will be used only for official law 
enforcement purposes, provided that the foreign law enforcement agency 
has set forth a legal basis for its authority to maintain the material 
in confidence. Nothing in the preceding sentence authorizes disclosure 
of material obtained in connection with the administration of Federal 
antitrust laws or foreign antitrust laws (within the meaning of section 
12 of the International Antitrust Enforcement Assistance Act of 1994 
(15 U.S.C. 6211)) to any officer or employee of a foreign law 
enforcement agency.''.
    (b) Publication of Information; Reports.--Section 6(f) of the 
Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 46(f)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``agencies or to any officer or employee of 
        any State law enforcement agency'' and inserting ``agencies, to 
        any officer or employee of any State law enforcement agency, or 
        to any officer or employee of any foreign law enforcement 
        agency'';
            (2) by striking ``Federal or State law enforcement agency'' 
        and inserting ``Federal, State, or foreign law enforcement 
        agency''; and
            (3) by adding at the end ``Such information shall be 
        disclosed to an officer or employee of a foreign law 
        enforcement agency only if the foreign law enforcement agency 
        has set forth a legal basis for its authority to maintain the 
        information in confidence. Nothing in the preceding sentence 
        authorizes the disclosure of material obtained in connection 
        with the administration of Federal antitrust laws or foreign 
        antitrust laws (within the meaning of section 12 of the 
        International Antitrust Enforcement Assistance Act of 1994 (15 
        U.S.C. 6211)) to any officer or employee of a foreign law 
        enforcement agency.''.

SEC. 204. OBTAINING INFORMATION FOR FOREIGN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.

    Section 6 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 46) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(j)(1) Upon request from a foreign law enforcement agency, to 
provide assistance in accordance with this subsection if the requesting 
agency states that it is investigating, or engaging in enforcement 
proceedings against, possible violations of laws prohibiting 
fraudulent, deceptive, misleading, or unfair commercial conduct, or 
other conduct that may be similar to conduct prohibited by any 
provision of the laws administered by the Commission, other than 
Federal antitrust laws (within the meaning of section 12 of the 
International Antitrust Enforcement Assistance Act of 1994 (15 U.S.C. 
6211)), the Commission may, in its discretion--
            ``(A) conduct such investigation as the Commission deems 
        necessary to collect information and evidence pertinent to the 
        request for assistance, using all investigative powers 
        authorized by this Act; and
            ``(B) seek and accept appointment by a United States 
        district court of Commission attorneys to provide assistance to 
        foreign and international tribunals and to litigants before 
        such tribunals on behalf of a foreign law enforcement agency 
        pursuant to section 1782 of title 28, United States Code.
    ``(2) The Commission may provide assistance under paragraph (1) 
without regard to whether the conduct identified in the request would 
also constitute a violation of the laws of the United States.
    ``(3) In deciding whether to provide such assistance, the 
Commission shall consider--
            ``(A) whether the requesting agency has agreed to provide 
        or will provide reciprocal assistance to the Commission; and
            ``(B) whether compliance with the request would prejudice 
        the public interest of the United States.
    ``(4) If a foreign law enforcement agency has set forth a legal 
basis for requiring execution of an international agreement as a 
condition for reciprocal assistance, or as a condition for disclosure 
of materials or information to the Commission, the Commission, after 
consultation with the Secretary of State, may negotiate and conclude an 
international agreement, in the name of either the United States or the 
Commission and with the final approval of the agreement by the 
Secretary of State, for the purpose of obtaining such assistance or 
disclosure. The Commission may undertake in such an international 
agreement--
            ``(A) to provide assistance using the powers set forth in 
        this subsection;
            ``(B) to disclose materials and information in accordance 
        with subsection (f) of this section and section 21(b)(6) of 
        this Act; and
            ``(C) to engage in further cooperation, and protect 
        materials and information received from disclosure, as 
        authorized by this Act.
    ``(5) The authority in this subsection is in addition to, and not 
in lieu of, any other authority vested in the Commission or any other 
officer of the United States.''.

SEC. 205. INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY AND ABOUT FOREIGN SOURCES.

    Section 21(f) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57b-
2(f)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``Any''; and adding at the 
        end the following:
    ``(2)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph, 
the Commission shall not be compelled to disclose--
            ``(i) material obtained from a foreign law enforcement 
        agency or other foreign government agency, if the foreign law 
        enforcement agency or other foreign government agency has 
        requested confidential treatment as a condition of disclosing 
        the material;
            ``(ii) material reflecting consumer complaints obtained 
        from any other foreign source, if that foreign source supplying 
        the material has requested confidential treatment as a 
        condition of disclosing the material; or
            ``(iii) material reflecting a consumer complaint submitted 
        to a Commission reporting mechanism sponsored in part by 
        foreign law enforcement agencies or other foreign government 
        agencies.
    ``(B) For purposes of section 552 of title 5, this paragraph shall 
be considered a statute described in subsection (b)(3)(B) of such 
section 552.
    ``(C) Nothing in this paragraph shall authorize the Commission to 
withhold information from the Congress or prevent the Commission from 
complying with an order of a court of the United States in an action 
commenced by the United States or the Commission.''.

SEC. 206. CONFIDENTIALITY AND DELAYED NOTICE OF PROCESS.

            (a) The Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) 
        is amended by inserting after section 21 (15 U.S.C. 57b-2) the 
        following:

``SEC. 21A. CONFIDENTIALITY AND DELAYED NOTICE OF COMPULSORY PROCESS 
              FOR CERTAIN THIRD PARTIES.

    ``(a) Confidentiality of Compulsory Process Issued by the 
Commission.--
            ``(1) This subsection shall apply only in connection with 
        compulsory process issued by the Commission where the recipient 
        of such process is not a subject of the investigation or 
        proceeding at the time such process is issued.
            ``(2) Notwithstanding any law or regulation of the United 
        States, any constitution, law or regulation of any State or 
        political subdivision of any State or any Territory or the 
        District of Columbia, or any contract or other legally 
        enforceable agreement, the Commission may seek an order 
        requiring the recipient of compulsory process described in 
        paragraph (1) to keep such process confidential, upon an ex 
        parte showing to an appropriate United States district court 
        that there is a reason to believe that disclosure may--
                    ``(A) result in the transfer of assets or records 
                outside the territorial limits of the United States;
                    ``(B) impede the ability of the Commission to 
                identify or trace funds;
                    ``(C) endanger the life or physical safety of an 
                individual;
                    ``(D) result in flight from prosecution;
                    ``(E) result in destruction of or tampering with 
                evidence;
                    ``(F) result in intimidation of potential 
                witnesses;
                    ``(G) result in the dissipation or concealment of 
                assets; or
                    ``(H) otherwise seriously jeopardize an 
                investigation or unduly delay a trial.
            ``(3) Upon a showing described in paragraph (2), the 
        presiding judge or magistrate judge shall enter an ex parte 
        order prohibiting the recipient of process from disclosing that 
        information has been submitted or that a request for 
        information has been made, for such period as the court deems 
        appropriate.
    ``(b) Materials Subject to Government Notification Under the Right 
to Financial Privacy Act.--
            ``(1) When section 1105 or 1107 of the Right to Financial 
        Privacy Act of 1978 (12 U.S.C. 3405 or 3407) would otherwise 
        require notice, notwithstanding such requirements, the 
        Commission may obtain from a financial institution access to or 
        copies of financial records of a customer, as these terms are 
        defined in section 1101 of the Right to Financial Privacy Act 
        of 1978 (12 U.S.C. 3401), through compulsory process described 
        in subsection (a)(1) or through a judicial subpoena, without 
        prior notice to the customer, upon an ex parte showing to an 
        appropriate United States district court that there is reason 
        to believe that the required notice may cause an adverse result 
        described in subsection (a)(2).
            ``(2) Upon such showing, the presiding judge or magistrate 
        judge shall enter an ex parte order granting a delay of notice 
        for a period not to exceed 90 days and an order prohibiting the 
        financial institution from disclosing that records have been 
        submitted or that a request for records has been made.
            ``(3) The court may grant extensions of the period of delay 
        of notice provided in paragraph (2) of up to 90 days, upon a 
        showing that the requirements for delayed notice under 
        subsection (a)(2) continue to apply.
            ``(4) Upon expiration of the periods of delay of notice 
        ordered under paragraphs (2) and (3), the Commission shall 
        serve upon, or deliver by registered or first-class mail, or as 
        otherwise authorized by the court to, the customer a copy of 
        the process together with notice that states with reasonable 
        specificity the nature of the law enforcement inquiry, informs 
        the customer or subscriber when the process was served, and 
        states that notification of the process was delayed under this 
        subsection.
    ``(c) Materials Subject to Government Notification Under the 
Electronic Communications Privacy Act.--
            ``(1) When section 2703(b)(1)(B) of title 18 would 
        otherwise require notice, notwithstanding such requirements, 
        the Commission may obtain, through compulsory process described 
        in subsection (a)(1) or through judicial subpoena,
                    ``(A) from a provider of remote computing services, 
                access to or copies of the contents of a wire or 
                electronic communication described in section 
                2703(b)(1) of title 18, and as those terms are defined 
                in section 2510 of title 18, or
                    ``(B) from a provider of electronic communications 
                services, access to or copies of the contents of a wire 
                or electronic communication that has been in electronic 
                storage in an electronic communications system for more 
                than 180 days, as those terms are defined in section 
                2510 of title 18,
        without prior notice to the customer or subscriber, upon an ex 
        parte showing to an appropriate United States district court by 
        a Commission official that there is reason to believe that 
        notification of the existence of the process may cause an 
        adverse result described in subsection (a)(2). Upon such a 
        showing, the presiding judge or magistrate judge shall issue an 
        exparte order granting a delay of notice for a period not to 
        exceed 90 days. A court may grant extensions of the period of 
        delay of notice of up to 90 days, upon application by the 
        Commission and a showing that the requirements for delayed 
        notice under subsection (b)(2) continue to apply.
            ``(2) The Commission may apply to a court for an order 
        prohibiting a provider of electronic communications service or 
        remote computing service to whom process has been issued under 
        this subsection, for such period as the court deems 
        appropriate, from disclosing that information has been 
        submitted or that a request for information has been made. The 
        court shall enter such an order if it has reason to believe 
        that such disclosure may cause an adverse result described in 
        subsection (b)(2).
            ``(3) Upon expiration of the periods of delay of notice 
        ordered under subparagraph (1), the Commission shall serve 
        upon, or deliver by registered or first-class mail, or as 
        otherwise authorized by the court to, the customer or 
        subscriber a copy of the process together with notice that 
        states with reasonable specificity the nature of the law 
        enforcement inquiry, informs the customer or subscriber when 
        the process was served, and states that notification of the 
        process was delayed under this subsection.
            ``(4) Nothing in the Electronic Communications Privacy Act 
        shall prohibit a provider of electronic communications services 
        or remote computing services from disclosing complaints 
        received by it from a customer or subscriber or information 
        reflecting such complaints to the Commission.
    ``(d) Liability Limitation.--The recipient of compulsory process 
under subsections (a), (b), or (c) shall not be liable to any person 
under any law or regulation of the United States, any constitution, 
law, or regulation of any State or political subdivision of any State 
or any Territory or the District of Columbia, or under any contract or 
other legally enforceable agreement, for failure to provide notice that 
such process has been issued or that the recipient has provided 
information in response to such process. The preceding sentence does 
not provide any exemption from liability for the underlying conduct 
reported.
    ``(e) In-Camera Proceedings.--Upon application by the Commission, 
all judicial proceedings pursuant to this section shall be held in 
camera and the records thereof sealed until expiration of the period of 
delay or such other date as the presiding judge or magistrate judge may 
permit.
    ``(f) Procedure Inapplicable to Certain Proceedings.--This section 
shall not apply to compulsory process issued in an investigation or 
proceeding related to the administration of Federal antitrust laws or 
foreign antitrust laws (within the meaning of section 12 of the 
International Antitrust Enforcement Assistance Act of 1994 (15 U.S.C. 
6211)).''.
    (b) Section 16(a)(2) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 
56(a)(2)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``or'' after the semicolon in subparagraph 
        (C);
            (2) by striking ``Act;'' in subparagraph (D) and inserting 
        ``Act; or''; and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:
            ``(E) under section 21a of this Act;''.

SEC. 207. PROTECTION FOR VOLUNTARY PROVISION OF INFORMATION.

    The Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) is amended 
by inserting after section 21a, as added by section 206 of this title, 
the following:

``SEC. 21B. PROTECTION FOR VOLUNTARY PROVISION OF INFORMATION.

    ``(a) In General.--An entity described in subsection (d)(1) that 
voluntarily provides material to the Commission that it reasonably 
believes is relevant to--
            ``(1) a possible unfair or deceptive act or practice, as 
        defined in section 5(a) of this Act, or
            ``(2) assets subject to recovery by the Commission, 
        including assets located in foreign jurisdictions,
shall not be liable to any person under any law or regulation of the 
United States, or any constitution, law, or regulation of any State or 
political subdivision of any State or any Territory or the District of 
Columbia, for such disclosure or for any failure to provide notice of 
such disclosure. The preceding sentence does not provide any exemption 
from liability for the underlying conduct reported.
    ``(b) Liability Limitation.--An entity described in subsection 
(d)(2) that makes a voluntary disclosure to the Commission regarding 
the subjects described in subsection (a)(1) and (2) shall be exempt 
from liability in accordance with the provisions of section 5318(g)(3) 
of title 31, United States Code.
    ``(c) FOIA Exemption.--Material submitted pursuant to this section 
with a request for confidential treatment shall be exempt from 
disclosure under section 552 of title 5, United States Code.
    ``(d) Entities to Which Section Applies.--This section applies to 
the following entities, whether foreign or domestic:
            ``(1) A courier service, a commercial mail receiving 
        agency, an industry membership organization, a payment system 
        provider, a consumer reporting agency, a domain name registrar 
        and registry, a provider of remote computing services or 
        electronic communication services, to the limited extent such a 
        provider is disclosing consumer complaints received by it from 
        a customer or subscriber, or information reflecting such 
        complaints; and
            ``(2) a bank or thrift institution, a commercial bank or 
        trust company, an investment company, a credit card issuer, an 
        operator of a credit card system, and an issuer, redeemer, or 
        cashier of travelers' checks, checks, money orders, or similar 
        instruments.''.

SEC. 208. INFORMATION SHARING WITH FINANCIAL REGULATORS.

    Section 1112(e) of the Right to Financial Privacy Act (12 U.S.C. 
3412(e)) is amended by inserting ``the Federal Trade Commission,'' 
after ``the Securities and Exchange Commission,''.

SEC. 209. REPRESENTATION IN FOREIGN LITIGATION.

    Section 16 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 56) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c)(1) The Commission may designate Commission attorneys to 
assist the Department of Justice in connection with litigation in 
foreign courts in which the Commission has an interest, pursuant to the 
terms of a memorandum of understanding to be negotiated by the 
Commission and the Department of Justice.
    ``(2) The Commission is authorized to expend appropriated funds for 
the retention of foreign counsel for consultation and for litigation in 
foreign courts, and for expenses related to consultation and to 
litigation in foreign courts in which the Commission has an 
interest.''.

SEC. 210. AVAILABILITY OF REMEDIES.

    Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(o) Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices Involving Foreign 
Commerce.--
            ``(1) In general.--For purposes of subsection (a), the term 
        `unfair or deceptive acts or practices' includes such acts or 
        practices involving foreign commerce that--
                    ``(A) cause or are likely to cause reasonably 
                foreseeable injury within the United States; or
                    ``(B) involve material conduct occurring within the 
                United States.
            ``(2) Application of remedies to such acts or practices.--
        All remedies available to the Commission with respect to unfair 
        and deceptive acts or practices shall be available for acts and 
        practices described in paragraph (1), including restitution to 
        domestic or foreign victims.''.

SEC. 211. CRIMINAL REFERRALS.

    Section 6 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 46), as 
amended by section 204 of this title, is amended by adding at the end 
the following:
    ``(k) Referral of Evidence for Criminal Proceedings.--Whenever the 
Commission obtains evidence that any person, partnership or 
corporation, either domestic or foreign, may have engaged in conduct 
that could give rise to criminal proceedings, to transmit such evidence 
to the Attorney General who may, in his discretion, institute criminal 
proceedings under appropriate statutes. Provided that nothing in this 
subsection affects any other authority of the Commission to disclose 
information.''.

SEC. 212. STAFF EXCHANGES.

    The Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) is amended 
by inserting after section 25 (15 U.S.C. 57c) the following:

``SEC. 25A. STAFF EXCHANGES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Congress consents to--
            ``(1) the retention or employment of officers or employees 
        of foreign government agencies on a temporary basis by the 
        Commission under section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, 
        section 202 of title 18, United States Code, or section 2 of 
        this Act (15 U.S.C. 42); and
            ``(2) the retention or employment of officers or employees 
        of the Commission on a temporary basis by such foreign 
        government agencies.
    ``(b) Form of Arrangements.--Staff arrangements under subsection 
(a) need not be reciprocal. The Commission may accept payment or 
reimbursement, in cash or in kind, from a foreign government agency to 
which this section is applicable, or payment or reimbursement made on 
behalf of such agency, for expenses incurred by the Commission, its 
members, and employees in carrying out such arrangements.''.

SEC. 213. EXPENDITURES FOR COOPERATIVE ARRANGEMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 6 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 
U.S.C. 46) as amended by section 211 of this title, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following:
    ``(p) To expend appropriated funds for--
            ``(1) operating expenses and other costs of bilateral and 
        multilateral cooperative law enforcement groups conducting 
        activities of interest to the Commission and in which the 
        Commission participates; and
            ``(2) expenses for consultations and meetings hosted by the 
        Commission with foreign government agency officials, members of 
        their delegations, appropriate representatives and staff to 
        exchange views concerning developments relating to the 
        Commission's mission, development and implementation of 
        cooperation agreements, and provision of technical assistance 
        for the development of foreign consumer protection or 
        competition regimes, such expenses to include necessary 
        administrative and logistic expenses and the expenses of 
        Commission staff and foreign invitees in attendance at such 
        consultations and meetings including--
                    ``(A) such incidental expenses as meals taken in 
                the course of such attendance;
                    ``(B) any travel and transportation to or from such 
                meetings; and
            ``(3) any other related lodging or subsistence.''.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--The Federal Trade Commission 
is authorized to expend appropriated funds not to exceed $100,000 per 
fiscal year for purposes of section 6(p) of the Federal Trade 
Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 46(p)), including operating expenses and 
other costs of the following bilateral and multilateral cooperative law 
enforcement groups:
            (1) The International Consumer Protection and Enforcement 
        Network.
            (2) The International Competition Network.
            (3) The Mexico-U.S.-Canada Health Fraud Task Force.
            (4) Project Emptor.
            (5) The Toronto Strategic Partnership and other regional 
        partnerships with a nexus in a Canadian province.
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