[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 16 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. CON. RES. 16

  Expressing support for strengthening engagement between the United 
           States and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 18, 2017

     Mr. Hatch (for himself and Mr. Wyden) submitted the following 
 concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing support for strengthening engagement between the United 
           States and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

Whereas the United States and the other members of the Asia-Pacific Economic 
        Cooperation (in this preamble referred to as ``APEC'') have, since 1989, 
        worked collaboratively to advance commercial and trade interests in the 
        Asia-Pacific region;
Whereas the Asia-Pacific region accounts for 41 percent of the world's 
        population, 54 percent of the world's gross domestic product, and 44 
        percent of the world's trade;
Whereas expanding trade and investment between the United States and the Asia-
        Pacific region has created new commercial opportunities and jobs in the 
        United States;
Whereas United States businesses in the Asia-Pacific region face obstacles to 
        doing business in the region as a result of tariff and nontariff 
        barriers, including discriminatory policies and regulations;
Whereas strengthening trade and investment between the United States and other 
        APEC members and addressing tariff and nontariff barriers to United 
        States exports has the potential to benefit United States businesses, 
        manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, workers, and consumers;
Whereas APEC was established as a regional economic forum to leverage the 
        growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific region to create greater 
        prosperity for the people of the region and serves as a forum for the 
        United States to address business concerns, promote high standards, and 
        facilitate economic growth in the region;
Whereas APEC contributes to United States economic policies that promote 
        fairness, due process, and the rule of law by supporting trade rules 
        embodied in the World Trade Organization (in this preamble referred to 
        as the ``WTO'') and the establishment of new WTO commitments, developing 
        model measures for high-quality trade agreements in the Asia-Pacific 
        region, encouraging coherence in regulations and standards in the 
        region, and encouraging policies to promote development of the digital 
        economy; and
Whereas the APEC Leaders' Meeting in November 2017 in Da Nang, Vietnam, and 
        preparatory meetings at the ministerial level, including the meeting in 
        May 2017 of the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade, provide important 
        opportunities to demonstrate to the world the commitment of the United 
        States to increasing prosperity and security in the Asia-Pacific region: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the continuing success of the Asia-Pacific Economic 
        Cooperation (in this resolution referred to as ``APEC'') is in 
        the national economic interest of the United States;
            (2) APEC should be a part of the diplomatic and economic 
        strategy of the United States for the Asia-Pacific region; and
            (3) the United States should continue to engage APEC in 
        promoting economic growth through the adoption of rules-based 
        policies to strengthen trade and investment between the United 
        States and other APEC members.
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