[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3685 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3685

     To direct the United States Trade Representative to initiate 
 negotiations with the Government of the Republic of Turkey to seek to 
        enter into a bilateral free trade agreement with Turkey.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 6, 2015

 Mr. Mooney of West Virginia introduced the following bill; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To direct the United States Trade Representative to initiate 
 negotiations with the Government of the Republic of Turkey to seek to 
        enter into a bilateral free trade agreement with Turkey.

    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 cited as the ``United States-Turkey Free Trade 
Promotion Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The friendship between the United States and the 
        Republic of Turkey dates back to 1831, when the United States 
        formed diplomatic ties with the Ottoman Empire.
            (2) Modern diplomatic relations between the United States 
        and Turkey date back nearly a century to 1927.
            (3) Turkey has been a member country of the North Atlantic 
        Treaty Organization (NATO) since 1952.
            (4) Turkey is a democratic, secular, unitary, 
        constitutional republic, with an ancient cultural heritage and 
        westward-looking future.
            (5) Turkey is the 18th largest economy in the world and a 
        founding member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation 
        and Development (OECD), World Trade Organization (WTO), and the 
        Group of Twenty (G-20).
            (6) Turkey continues to be a critical strategic ally to the 
        United States as a Western Eurasian country adjacent to Iran, 
        Iraq, and Syria.
            (7) The economic viability of Turkey brings essential 
        strength and stability to the region.
            (8) Turkey is currently a party to 18 free trade 
        agreements, 16 of them entered into force over the past 15 
        years, during which time Turkey's Gross Domestic Product has 
        more than tripled.
            (9) Turkey's trade volume with the European Union is $150 
        billion as of 2014 while Turkey's trade volume with the United 
        States is only $19.4 billion, reflecting a tremendous growth 
        opportunity.
            (10) From 2001 to 2014, Turkey's imports posted a 584-
        percent increase and imports from free trade agreement 
        countries increased by 537 percent.
            (11) Turkey is in negotiations to enter into free trade 
        agreements with several additional partners, including Japan, 
        Mexico, Singapore, MERCOSUR, and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
            (12) United States exports account for 5.3 percent of goods 
        that enter Turkey.
            (13) There is significant opportunity to improve the free 
        flow of goods and services between the United States and 
        Turkey.
            (14) Closer relations with Turkey through free trade 
        agreements would encourage further privatization in Turkey's 
        economy.
            (15) A free trade agreement between the United States and 
        Turkey will foster economic and commercial cooperation and 
        strengthen ties with Turkey, increase bilateral investment 
        opportunities, and contribute to jobs created for American 
        workers.

SEC. 3. NEGOTIATIONS TO SEEK TO ENTER INTO A BILATERAL FREE TRADE 
              AGREEMENT WITH THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the United States Trade Representative shall initiate negotiations 
with the Government of the Republic of Turkey to seek to enter into a 
bilateral free trade agreement with Turkey that, among other things, 
promotes the exportation and importation of natural resources, 
including coal, between the United States and Turkey.
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