1.
Short title; table of contents
(a)
This Act may be cited as the
Caribbean Basin Trade Enhancement Act of 2005
.
(b)
The table of contents of this
Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title;
table of contents.
TITLE I—Center for
Caribbean Basin Trade
Sec. 101.
Findings.
Sec. 102.
Establishment.
Sec. 103. Activities.
Sec. 104.
Administrative provisions.
Sec. 105. Sense of
Congress.
TITLE II—Caribbean
Basin skills-based training program
Sec. 201.
Findings.
Sec. 202.
Establishment.
Sec. 203.
Activities.
Sec. 204. Sense of
Congress.
TITLE III—General
Provisions
Sec. 301.
Report.
Sec. 302.
Definitions.
Sec. 303.
Authorization of appropriations.
<enum>I</enum>
<header>Center for Caribbean Basin Trade</header>
<section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFEB03E778C06448BBB5556BC67265021" section-type="subsequent-section">
<enum>101.</enum>
<header>Findings</header>
<text display-inline="no-display-inline">Congress finds the
following:</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HAFEEBE760A53421388495DEC4047C55">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Increased globalization and
economic integration are requiring countries throughout the world to rethink
their competitiveness strategies and to take affirmative steps to improve their
trade capacities.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H73756794EC244AA9881DE3B6F3CC9684">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Countries of the Caribbean
Basin can benefit from assistance to improve their trade capacities.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFB5E039979C340E8804359CC23E5B528">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Organization of American
States (OAS) has relevant experience in developing trade capacity initiatives
and programs of countries of the Western Hemisphere. In particular, the Office
for Trade, Growth and Competitiveness of the OAS has successfully trained trade
negotiators, particularly within the context of negotiations to conclude a Free
Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).</text>
</paragraph></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA814E49492E1421983CCE9323D800397" section-type="subsequent-section">
<enum>102.</enum>
<header>Establishment</header>
<text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of State is
authorized to make a voluntary contribution on a grant basis to the
Organization of American States to establish a Center for Caribbean Basin Trade
(in this title referred to as the <quote>Center</quote>) in accordance with the
provisions of this title.</text>
</section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HDEBBD75A3DAB4E19BAD15F8E2F0282D" section-type="subsequent-section">
<enum>103.</enum>
<header>Activities</header>
<text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Center shall carry out the
following activities:</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC17C042548394344836E25D912B745D8">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Provide government officials
of Caribbean Basin countries, including trade negotiators, with technical
assistance in developing and implementing trade agreements.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3D4114E0E16E4954A700D873ED7C7C94">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Assist government officials
and private sector representatives of Caribbean Basin countries to further
assist firms in developing export readiness, such as developing firms’
commitment, identifying primary target markets, selecting market entry
strategies, developing an international market plan, and developing
distribution networks in other countries.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD598FB142DC647A68ED84D08217F61B7">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Provide training and
consulting services to Caribbean Basin countries to upgrade port facilities,
strengthen security measures, upgrade customs procedures, and modernize other
infrastructure critical to trade.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H657E390D432C482FA0DD6DB8CA8195C">
<enum>(4)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Provide training and
consulting services to government officials and private sector representatives
of Caribbean Basin countries on import requirements of major trading countries
for the Caribbean Basin region, including the United States, as well as
financing mechanisms.</text>
</paragraph></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H488F80B3FF464F45957EE230352F97E7" section-type="subsequent-section">
<enum>104.</enum>
<header>Administrative provisions</header>
<text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of State, acting
through the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs and the
United States Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States,
shall work with the Organization of American States to determine the location,
staffing requirements, programs, and working methodology of the Center.</text>
</section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H122E84835C8D4859BB21399686F73820" section-type="subsequent-section">
<enum>105.</enum>
<header>Sense of Congress</header>
<text display-inline="no-display-inline">It is the sense of Congress
that a thorough study and analysis should be undertaken to determine a
permanent location of the Center.</text>
</section>
<enum>II</enum>
<header>Caribbean Basin skills-based training program</header>
<section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H272A633612FC41D48E00824936EC01B0" section-type="subsequent-section">
<enum>201.</enum>
<header>Findings</header>
<text display-inline="no-display-inline">Congress finds the
following:</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB1A3118069484ED58B04A39DA7E07B3F">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Studies demonstrate that
greater emphasis needs to be given to secondary education in countries of the
Western Hemisphere, including Caribbean Basin countries, in order to bridge the
widening educational and technology gap in such countries, which ultimately
hinders job growth.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H50F27E92D2BF41379CD9127910702413">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Access to education is
fundamental in helping to eradicate the poverty which limits economic growth in
the countries of the Caribbean Basin.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H66A800C08B7D4F72AF9224AB1723D525">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Countries of the Western
Hemisphere have consistently lagged behind the countries of Asia and other
regions, suffering a self-perpetuating cycle of low-growth and increasing
poverty.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H03ADE94A34D743F5BE20453800C530D2">
<enum>(4)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The community college system
in the United States provides skills-based training for United States workers
and is a useful model for a skills-based training system for Caribbean Basin
countries.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H727F46D4D0EF4BE1BEF4ED708FC729CC">
<enum>(5)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A skills-based training
program established under the management of the Organization of American States
(OAS) would be an effective means of addressing the needs of individuals and
economic concerns in the Caribbean Basin region.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5A072F3EBF45459CABC67BF7B7443EF1">
<enum>(6)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Such a program would provide
individuals with the skills required to improve their standard of living and,
together with employers, would further facilitate the economic integration of
the countries of the Western Hemisphere.</text>
</paragraph></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD8D64F8432394C41B8F5CDAB09D591FC" section-type="subsequent-section">
<enum>202.</enum>
<header>Establishment</header>
<text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary of State is
authorized to make a voluntary contribution on a grant basis to the
Organization of American States to establish a skills-based training program
for Caribbean Basin countries (in this title referred to as the
<quote>program</quote>) in accordance with the provisions of this title.</text>
</section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HBC0E5BA3EAFA4DA98E234CBCFFE14191" section-type="subsequent-section">
<enum>203.</enum>
<header>Activities</header>
<text display-inline="no-display-inline">The program shall carry out
activities to support a productive workforce in Caribbean Basin
countries.</text>
</section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC13F6F247EEE416299618883EAEBC5CA" section-type="subsequent-section">
<enum>204.</enum>
<header>Sense of Congress</header>
<text display-inline="no-display-inline">It is the sense of Congress
that the program should focus on mid-level technical education and training for
the workforce in Caribbean Basin countries, utilizing existing educational
facilities, cooperative private sector and government entities, and
Internet-based training.</text>
</section>
<enum>III</enum>
<header>General Provisions</header>
<section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H32019C1B49D64FFC92FFE556231754E0" section-type="subsequent-section">
<enum>301.</enum>
<header>Report</header>
<text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than one year after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to
the appropriate congressional committees a report on the implementation of this
Act.</text>
</section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA81B92D0746A4F30A5BA8B6BA862E89E" section-type="subsequent-section">
<enum>302.</enum>
<header>Definitions</header>
<text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this Act:</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1736B0DCFB144D68B84CC200CA424FB2">
<enum>(1)</enum>
<header>Appropriate congressional committees</header>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <quote>appropriate
congressional committees</quote> means—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HE5974B7015174E06B34DBC60E38F9347">
<enum>(A)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Committee on
International Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC8616A27905D4DCDA3D41DA6995C2B03">
<enum>(B)</enum>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Committee on Foreign
Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H476DAA7B8FD840239B7C196BB94FC6E1">
<enum>(2)</enum>
<header>Caribbean basin countries; countries of the caribbean
basin</header>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <quote>Caribbean
Basin countries</quote> or <quote>countries of the Caribbean Basin</quote>
means the countries and territories specified in the matter preceding paragraph
(1) of section 212(b) of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (19 U.S.C.
2702(b)).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H43569AF06C9D4F2683FE8B04935EFD89">
<enum>(3)</enum>
<header>OAS</header>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <quote>OAS</quote>
means the Organization of American States.</text>
</paragraph></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HE70025BAD1AE436C87B354C1087C00C6" section-type="subsequent-section">
<enum>303.</enum>
<header>Authorization of appropriations</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC2926A9A16304A99B3E5D7641D26F0E9">
<enum>(a)</enum>
<header>Authorization of appropriations</header>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of State to carry out this Act such sums as may
be necessary for fiscal year 2006.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5E8F06EF25344323A72D6100D2FF9F6">
<enum>(b)</enum>
<header>Sense of congress</header>
<text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Of the amount appropriated
pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under subsection (a), it is the
sense of Congress that up to $10,000,000 should be available to carry out title
I of this Act and up to $10,000,000 should be available to carry out title II
of this Act.</text>
</subsection></section>