[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 42 (Monday, April 18, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 18, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               ENVIRONMENTAL EXPORT PROMOTION ACT OF 1994

  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3813) to amend the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 to promote 
further United States exports of environmental technologies, goods, and 
services as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3813

       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 ``Environmental Export 
     Promotion Act of 1994''.

     SEC. 2. PROMOTION OF UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL EXPORTS.

       (a) Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee.--
     Section 2313 of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 
     4728) is amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (d);
       (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (e); and
       (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
       ``(c) Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory 
     Committee.--
       ``(1) Establishment and purposes.--The Secretary, in 
     carrying out the duties of the chairperson of the TPCC, shall 
     establish the Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory 
     Committee (hereafter in the section referred to as the 
     `Committee'). The purpose of the Committee shall be to 
     provide advice and guidance to the Working Group in the 
     development and administration of programs to expand United 
     States exports of environmental technologies, goods, and 
     services.
       ``(2) Membership.--The members of the Committee shall be 
     drawn from representatives of--
       ``(A) environmental businesses, including small businesses;
       ``(B) trade associations in the environmental sector;
       ``(C) private sector organizations involved in the 
     promotion of environmental exports;
       ``(D) States (as defined in section 2301(i)(5)) and 
     associations representing the States; and
       ``(E) other appropriate interested members of the public.

     The Secretary shall appoint as members of the Committee at 
     least 1 individual under each of subparagraphs (A) through 
     (E).
       ``(d) Export Plans for Priority Countries.--
       ``(1) Priority country identification.--The Working Group, 
     in consultation with the Committee, shall annually assess 
     which foreign countries have markets with the greatest 
     potential for the export of United States environmental 
     technologies, goods, and services, Of these countries the 
     Working Group shall select as priority countries 5 with the 
     greatest potential for the application of United States 
     Government export promotion resources related to 
     environmental exports.
       ``(2) Export plans.--The Working Group, in consultation 
     with the Committee, shall annually create a plan for each 
     priority country selected under paragraph (1), setting forth 
     in detail ways to increase United States environmental 
     exports to such country. Each such plan shall--
       ``(A) identify the primary public and private sector 
     opportunities for United States exporters of environmental 
     technologies, goods, and services in the priority country;
       ``(B) analyze the financing and other requirements for 
     major projects in the priority country which will use 
     environmental technologies, goods, and services, and analyze 
     whether such projects are dependent upon financial assistance 
     from foreign countries or multilateral institutions; and
       ``(C) list specific actions to be taken by the member 
     agencies of the Working Group to increase United States 
     exports to the priority country.''.
       (b) Additional Mechanisms To Promote Environmental 
     Exports.--Section 2313 of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 
     is further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(f) Environmental Technologies Specialists in the United 
     States and Foreign Commercial Service.--
       ``(1) Assignment of environmental technologies 
     specialists.--The Secretary shall assign a specialist in 
     environmental technologies to the office of the United States 
     and Foreign Commercial Service in each of the 5 priority 
     countries selected under subsection (d)(1), and the Secretary 
     is authorized to assign such a specialist to the office of 
     the United States and Foreign Commercial Service in any 
     country that is a promising market for United States exports 
     of environmental technologies, goods, and services. Such 
     specialist may be an employee of the Department, an employee 
     of any relevant United States Government department or agency 
     assigned on a temporary or limited term basis to the Commerce 
     Department, or a representative of the private sector 
     assigned to the Department of Commerce.
       ``(2) Duties of environmental technologies specialists.--
     Each specialist assigned under paragraph (1) shall provide 
     export promotion assistance to United States environmental 
     businesses, including, but not limited to--
       ``(A) identifying factors in the country to which the 
     specialist is assigned that affect the United States share of 
     the domestic market for environmental technologies, goods, 
     and services, including market barriers, standards-setting 
     activities, and financing issues;
       ``(B) providing assessments of assistance by foreign 
     governments that is provided to producers of environmental 
     technologies, goods, and services in such countries in order 
     to enhance exports to the country to which the specialist is 
     assigned, the effectiveness of such assistance on the 
     competitiveness of United States products, and whether 
     comparable United States assistance exists;
       ``(C) training Foreign Commercial Service Officers in the 
     country to which the specialist is assigned, other countries 
     in the region, and United States and Foreign Commercial 
     Service offices in the United States, in environmental 
     technologies and the international environmental market;
       ``(D) providing assistance in identifying potential 
     customers and market opportunities in the country to which 
     the specialist is assigned;
       ``(E) providing assistance in obtaining necessary business 
     services in the country to which the specialist is assigned;
       ``(F) providing information on environmental standards and 
     regulations in the country to which the specialist is 
     assigned; and
       ``(G) providing information on all United States Government 
     programs that could assist the promotion, financing, and sale 
     of United States environmental technologies, goods, and 
     services in the country to which the specialist is assigned.
       ``(g) Environmental Training in One-Stop Shops.--In 
     addition to the training provided under subsection (f)(2)(C), 
     the Secretary shall establish a mechanism to train--
       ``(1) Commercial Service Officers assigned to the one-stop 
     shops provided for in section 2301(b)(8), and
       ``(2) Commercial Service Officers assigned to district 
     offices in districts having large numbers of environmental 
     businesses, in environmental technologies and in the 
     international environmental marketplace, and ensure that such 
     officers receive appropriate training under such mechanism. 
     Such training may be provided by officers or employees of the 
     Department of Commerce, and other United States Government 
     departments and agencies, with appropriate expertise in 
     environmental technologies and the international 
     environmental workplace, and by appropriate representatives 
     of the private sector.
       ``(h) International Regional Environmental Initiatives.--
       ``(1) Establishment of initiatives.--The TPCC shall 
     establish one or more international regional environmental 
     initiatives the purpose of which shall be to coordinate the 
     activities of Federal departments and agencies in order to 
     build environmental partnerships between the United States 
     and the geographic region outside the United States for which 
     such initiative is established. Such partnerships shall 
     enhance environmental protection and promote sustainable 
     development by using in the region technical expertise and 
     financial resources of United States departments and agencies 
     that provide foreign assistance and by expanding 
     United States exports of environmental technologies, 
     goods, and services to that region.
       ``(2) Activities.--In carrying out each international 
     regional environmental initiative, the TPCC shall--
       ``(A) support, through the provision of foreign assistance, 
     the development of sound environmental policies and practices 
     in countries in the geographic region for which the 
     initiative is established, including the development of 
     environmentally sound regulatory regimes and enforcement 
     mechanisms;
       ``(B) identify and disseminate to United States 
     environmental businesses information regarding specific 
     environmental business opportunities in that geographic 
     region;
       ``(C) coordinate existing Federal efforts to promote 
     environmental exports to that geographic region, and ensure 
     that such efforts are fully coordinated with environmental 
     export promotion efforts undertaken by the States and the 
     private sector;
       ``(D) increase assistance provided by the Federal 
     Government to promote exports from the United States of 
     environmental technologies, goods, and services to that 
     geographic region, such as trade missions, reverse trade 
     missions, trade fairs, and programs in the United States to 
     train foreign nationals in United States environmental 
     technologies; and
       ``(E) increase high-level advocacy by United States 
     Government officials (including the United States ambassadors 
     to the countries in that geographic region) for United States 
     environmental businesses seeking market opportunities in that 
     geographic region.
       ``(i) Environmental Technologies Project Advocacy Calendar 
     and Information Dissemination Program.--The Working Group 
     shall maintain a calendar, updated at the end of each 
     calendar quarter, of significant opportunities for United 
     States environmental businesses in foreign markets and trade 
     promotion events, which shall be made available to the 
     public. Such calendar shall--
       ``(1) identify the 50 to 100 environmental infrastructure 
     and procurement projects in foreign markets that have the 
     greatest potential in the calendar quarter for United States 
     exports of environmental technologies, goods, and services; 
     and
       ``(2) include trade promotion events, such as trade 
     missions and trade fairs, in the environmental sector.

     The Working Group shall also provide, through the National 
     Trade Data Bank and other information dissemination channels, 
     information on opportunities for environmental businesses in 
     foreign markets and information on Federal export promotion 
     programs.
       ``(j) Regional Centers.--The Secretary, through the 
     Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the 
     United States and Foreign Commercial Service, is authorized 
     to provide matching funds for the establishment in the United 
     States of regional environmental business and technology 
     cooperation centers that will draw upon the expertise of the 
     private sector and institutions of higher education and 
     existing Federal programs to provide export promotion 
     assistance related to environmental technologies, goods, and 
     services.
       ``(k) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term 
     `environmental business' means a business that produces 
     environmental technologies, goods, or services.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Connecticut [Mr. Gejdenson] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Roth] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Connecticut [Mr. Gejdenson].
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, under an agreement with the gentleman 
from Wisconsin [Mr. Roth], I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds] who has played a very 
important role in this legislation.
  (Mr. STUDDS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his kindness.
  Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor of this bill and avid proponent 
of the programs it establishes to promote U.S. exports of environmental 
technologies, goods, and services, I rise in strong support of H.R. 
3813.
  I wish to especially thank the chairman of the Foreign Affairs 
Subcommittee on Economic Policy, Trade and Environment for his 
cooperation in crafting this legislation. It has been a pleasure 
working with Mr. Gejdenson and with Ms. Furse on this proposal.
  H.R. 3813 shares a common goal with legislation Congresswoman Furse 
and I introduced last year--the National Environmental Trade 
Development Act of 1993--H.R. 2112--and that is to help U.S. companies 
export their environmental products and services and to help other 
countries solve their environmental problems.
  This legislation is needed if American businesses are to take 
advantage of the growing global market for environmental technologies. 
The market stands at $200 billion a year now, and experts project that 
it will grow to close to $600 billion by the year 2000. The United 
States, which pioneered the concept of strong environmental protection 
laws, must be in the forefront of capturing this market. If we 
establish a viable public-private partnership, we can take advantage of 
the expanding market for environmental technologies and create as many 
as 30,000 new jobs in this country.
  In Massachusetts alone, there are over 1,300 companies employing over 
40,000 people in ``green'' businesses. Many of these companies have 
been leaders in the development of environmental technologies. They 
have developed ways to recycle laundry grey water, have developed a 
method using the natural properties of plants and sunlight to treat 
sewage, and, in the case of Molten Metals, have figured out how to 
safely recycle chemical waste. I applaud their ingenuity and support 
their efforts with this legislation.
  The New England region has also been at the forefront of recognizing 
the importance of overseas markets for the sale of U.S. environmental 
technologies. New England companies and institutions, including the 
University of Massachusetts, have formed the Environmental Business 
Council of New England and launched the Environmental Business Council 
of the United States, the first truly national trade association for 
``green'' companies. The efforts and foresight of the EBC under the 
wise leadership of Don Connors and Jack Driscoll have brought us to 
where we are today. I applaud their efforts as well as those of 
President Michael Hooker of the University of Massachusetts who has 
played a key role in linking the university and industry in promoting 
environmental technology and business.
  The Gejdenson-Studds-Furse bill supports the public-private 
partnership that the EBC and others have already begun. I wish to point 
out two principal examples of how the legislation does this. One is the 
creation of the Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee, a 
committee of business, State, and private sector organizations, that 
will advise the Secretary of Commerce and other agencies involved in 
export promotion on how to expand U.S. exports of environmental 
technologies, goods, and services. The committee will also help 
identify five priority countries with the greatest potential for 
acquiring U.S. environmental exports and develop a marketing plan for 
each priority country.
  The other significant way the bill fosters a public-private 
partnership is by sponsoring Regional Environmental Business and 
Technology Cooperation Centers. These centers, to be funded by matching 
grants from the Commerce Department, will be run by the private sector. 
They will provide hands-on technical assistance to environmental 
businesses in the region they serve on how to export their products as 
well as provide training to foreign nationals on uses of U.S. products 
and services. States like Massachusetts and Oregon where environmental 
companies are already clustered are ideal locations to try out the 
regional center concept.
  Finally, I wish to point out that the bill is consistent with the 
administration's own environmental export strategy, which it released 
last November at a ceremony in which representatives of Massachusetts 
companies and I were pleased to participate. There is no doubt 
Secretary Ron Brown and the Clinton administration recognize the need 
to help U.S. companies promote their products and services overseas by 
finding new and innovative ways for the Government and the private 
sector to work together. Passage of this bill will help the 
administration move its strategy forward.
  I am proud to be associated with this legislation and urge my 
colleagues to support its passage in the House.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. GEJDENSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks, and include extraneous material.)
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. economy is littered with 
industries that have fallen victim to unfair trade practices and to the 
high levels of export assistance provided by other countries. For 
decades, the U.S. Government simply waited too long to go to bat for 
key sectors of our economy on the international trade front.
  Today, we have an opportunity to work with the administration to 
change this pattern of failure. In considering H.R. 3813, the 
Environmental Export Promotion Act, Congress has an opportunity to help 
ensure the continued vitality of the U.S. environmental sector in the 
international marketplace. We also have an opportunity to protect jobs 
here at home.
  This legislation grew out of hearings held by the Subcommittee on 
Economic Policy, Trade and Environment, which I chair. Unlike many of 
the subcommittee's hearings, the Government and private-sector 
witnesses actually arrived at strikingly similar conclusions.
  First, the United States had a $4 billion trade surplus in the 
environmental sector in 1990, but our major competitors are gaining 
fast. The American environmental industry must not be allowed to lose 
its competitive position.
  Second, environmental exports not only help American firms and 
American workers, but also help to protect the global environmental. We 
all benefit from the diffusion on state-of-the-art environmental 
technology to developing countries.
  Third, the international market for environmental goods and services 
is growing rapidly. It currently stands at $270 billion annually, and 
is likely to grow to $400-$600 billion by the end of the decade.
  If U.S. firms manage to capture 20 percent of the growth anticipated 
in the overseas environmental market, an estimated 300,000 new American 
jobs will be created over the next 7 years. In my home State of 
Connecticut, for instance, increased envirotech exports will increase 
employment at over 500 environmental firms throughout the State.
  Based upon these three conclusions, I introduced the Environmental 
Export Promotion Act, which is before the House today. I would like to 
thank Representative Lee Hamilton and Representative Ben Gilman, the 
chairman and ranking Republican member of the committee, for moving 
this bill through the committee, as well as Representative Toby Roth 
for his leadership on this issue.
  I would also like to recognize the leadership of Representative Gerry 
Studds, the chairman of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, 
and Representatives Elizabeth Furse, Maria Cantwell, and Jan Meyers, 
all of whom joined me in introducing this legislation.
  H.R. 3813, as amended, is designed to fine-tune the U.S. Government's 
export promotion efforts to increase environmental exports. The bill, 
in large part, is drawn from recommendations made by the administration 
in its November 1993 report on this issue.
  Since the Foreign Affairs Committee ordered H.R. 3813 reported, the 
committee has made five minor changes in the text of the bill. At this 
time, I would like to introduce into the Record an exchange of letters 
between Chairman Hamilton and Chairman Dingell.

                                    U.S. House of Representatives,


                             Committee on Energy and Commerce,

                                   Washington, DC, April 15, 1994.
     Hon. Lee H. Hamilton,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, U.S. House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Lee: Thank for your letter concerning H.R. 3813, the 
     ``Environmental Export Promotion Act of 1994,'' which was 
     ordered reported by the Committee on Foreign Affairs on March 
     16, 1994.
       As you indicated, the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
     requested sequential referral of the bill because it included 
     matters within the jurisdiction of this Committee. I 
     understand that you plan to offer an amended version when the 
     bill is considered on the suspension calendar. Those changes, 
     which have been worked out with this Committee, are welcome. 
     Accordingly, we will not insist on sequential referral. If, 
     as you note, the Senate does not accept the House bill as 
     amended and requests a conference, we understand that we 
     would be represented in that conference. I appreciate the 
     opportunity to work out these matters with you.
       With every good wish.
           Sincerely,
                                                  John D. Dingell,
                                                         Chairman.
                                  ____


                                                    U.S. Congress,


                           House Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                   Washington, DC, April 15, 1994.
     Hon. John D. Dingell,
     Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC.
       Dear John: The Committee on Energy and Commerce has raised 
     various jurisdictional concerns regarding H.R. 3813, as 
     ordered reported by the Committee on Foreign Affairs on March 
     16, 1994.
       Pursuant to discussions between the staff of our 
     committees, the text of H.R. 3813 to be considered by the 
     House contains several changes, reflected in the attached 
     text, from the amendment in the nature of a substitute that 
     the Committee on Foreign Affairs ordered reported. if the 
     Senate approves legislation with provisions in the areas in 
     which the Committees on Energy and Commerce has raised 
     concerns, the Committee on Foreign Affairs would not object 
     to the placement of conferees from the Energy and Commerce 
     Committee on those provisions of the Senate bill.
       Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Lee H. Hamilton,
                                                         Chairman.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. H.R. 3813, as modified: establishes an Environment 
Technologies Trade Advisory Committee to guide Federal environmental 
export promotion activities; requires the annual designation of five 
priority countries whose markets have the greatest potential for U.S. 
environmental exports, and a plan to help U.S. firms capture those five 
markets must then be developed; requires the Commerce Secretary to 
place environmental specialists in the five priority markets; 
authorizes international environmental initiatives to encourage other 
regions to adopt American-style environmental standards and to buy U.S. 
environmental products; establishes an environmental technologies 
project advocacy calendar containing an updated list of all major 
overseas environmental projects; and, authorizes the Secretary of 
Commerce to provide matching funds for regional centers promoting 
environmental exports.
  The legislation will help to ensure that American environmental 
companies remain on the cutting edge of the international environmental 
marketplace. It will also help to create export-related jobs here at 
home.
  I urge my colleagues to support its passage.

                              {time}  1810

  Mr. Speaker, before reserving my time, I would like to take this 
opportunity to point out that one of the things that moved me in moving 
this piece of legislation was when my colleague who now sits in the 
chair, the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller], returned from the 
International Conference on Environment in Brazil, with the great 
frustration that he had, indicating that the Japanese were there 
marketing their products while America virtually had no presence. We 
need to make sure that in these areas where we have such a 
technological advantage, that we stay active and get our products 
known.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of this legislation, the Environmental 
Export Promotion Act, I join our chairman, the gentleman from 
Connecticut [Mr. Gejdenson], in thanking the chairman of our full 
committee, the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Hamilton], the gentleman 
from New York [Mr. Gilman], the ranking member, and all those people 
who have worked on this legislation. I also thank the chairman, the 
gentleman from Connecticut [Mr. Gejdenson], for his kind remarks, and 
the feeling is mutual.
  Chairman Gejdenson shows real leadership on our subcommittee, and 
that is one of the reasons that we have been able to pass, in the last 
number of years, such legislation that has promoted so many jobs here 
in America.
  Mr. Speaker, this measure is the product of close bipartisan 
cooperation among all the members of our Subcommittee on Economic 
Policy.
  This bill is in keeping with the focus of our subcommittee, which is 
to create new jobs for American workers by expanding American exports, 
because we realize if we want to have good jobs here in America, we 
have got to be able to export our products.
  In the last Congress, our subcommittee produced two measures that, 
according to Commerce Department estimates, are adding 100,000 new jobs 
for American workers. In this Congress, our subcommittee is again 
working on legislation to create more jobs.
  During the past year we held a series of hearings on how to add new 
jobs by expanding our exports. The bill before us today is the first of 
several measures that our subcommittee will bring to the House this 
year to create jobs through exports.
  In this bill, we strengthen the export promotion for environmental 
technologies. As our hearings last year showed, the United States is a 
world leader in environmental technology.
  American companies now hold nearly half of the total world market--
which is now $300 billion a year.
  So we talking about big money and big job opportunities. By the end 
of the decade, this world market will double--to $600 billion a year.
  But other nations have discovered this market.
  Our competitors in this field--Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, 
and the Nordic countries--all are moving to increase their exports of 
environmental technology. Their goal is to take market share away from 
American exporters.

  If American companies are to stay on top, then we have to strengthen 
our own export promotion efforts.
  The payoff is that if we can maintain our share of this rapidly 
expanding market, we will add some 300,000 new jobs for American 
workers.
  Our bill reflects the findings of two recent authoritative reports: 
One by the Office of Technology Assessment, and the second by an 
interagency group headed by the Commerce Department.
  As recommended, our bill has three key provisions: First, it requires 
that export promotion assistance is targeted at the five top markets 
for this technology.
  This will give us the biggest return on our export promotion effort.
  Second, our bill requires closer coordination of the Federal Export 
Promotion Programs with State and local agencies.
  Third, our bill strengthens the expertise available in our overseas 
missions to our environmental technology exporters.
  This will give American firms more help on the ground in these 
overseas markets.
  Finally, let me emphasize that this bill does not add any new Federal 
spending.
  Instead, it redirects existing resources into the field, to give us a 
bigger return on our export promotion investment.
  This is a well-crafted bill that will help our exporters and create 
new jobs for American workers.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this measure.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield such time as she may 
consume to the gentlewoman from the State of Washington [Ms. Cantwell], 
who has really been one of the architects helping us to put this and a 
number of other initiatives on the subcommittee together.
  (Ms. CANTWELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding this 
time to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to take a moment this afternoon to applaud 
the manager of this legislation for his leadership. Mr. Gejdenson has 
provided us with what I think will be one of the most important 
economic bills impacting my State's environmental industries in this 
session of Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, there is no one in this body who better understands the 
need to marry international environmental protection with the promotion 
of our own environmental technology industries than Mr. Gejdenson. I am 
pleased to be a cosponsor of this effort.
  With the leadership of President Clinton, Vice President Gore, and 
congressional leaders like Mr. Gejdenson and Mr. Roth and Mr. Gilman, 
the ranking member of subcommittee and committee, I believe we have 
finally reached an understanding that environmental protection and 
economic growth are not mutually exclusive.
  Increasingly, foreign nations and companies are relying on U.S. 
environmental technology, products, and services to help them solve 
environmental problems. By supporting environmental protection 
internationally, we can create the very world markets that our 
environmental technology firms need to grow and expand.
  This is particularly true in my home State of Washington. Washington 
has been a national leader in promoting its environmental technology 
industry. Washington's environmental industry currently includes more 
than 450 firms, employing 27,000 people with annual revenues estimated 
at more than $3 billion.
  These firms vary from solid and hazardous waste management to lab 
testing and analysis.
  This bill is strongly supported by environmental community and by 
environmental technology companies. It incorporates the best steps we 
can take today to help promote both environmental protection and 
economic growth.
  I urge my colleagues to support final passage.
  Mr. ROTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New 
York [Mr. Gilman], the ranking member on our committee.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. I thank the gentleman for yielding this time to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my support for this legislation 
H.R. 3813 which should benefit American exporters of environmental 
technology by identifying key overseas markets and by directing 
Government agencies to provide hands on assistance to our companies 
trying to enter those markets. I commend the gentleman from 
Connecticut, the distinguished chairman of the Foreign Affairs 
Committee of economic parity, Trade and Environment and its ranking 
member, the gentleman from Wisconsin, [Mr. Roth] for their extensive 
work in bringing this measure to the floor.
  This legislation enacts proposals contained in the industry, 
technology and environment study undertaken by the Office of Technology 
Assessment and directs the administration to create regional 
environmental initiatives.
  One such initiative, the United States-Asia Environmental 
Partnership, was created in 1989 under the Bush administration to 
increase our environmental exports to Asian countries and to encourage 
them to adopt compatible standards and technologies.
  It is my understanding that the version of the legislation we are 
considering today reflects the minor changes requested by the Energy 
and Commerce Committee. To avoid a sequential referral of this 
legislation, its provisions have been changed to include only those 
entities and activities in the exclusive domain of the Foreign Affairs 
Committee and to delete any superfluous reference to the trade 
coordinating role of the Secretary of Commerce.
  Accordingly, I urge the adoption of this legislation.
  Mr. ROTH. I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. 
Bereuter], and I thank him for the tremendous contribution he makes. He 
does his homework, understands all the nuances of the bill and 
amendments, and it is a real pleasure to yield to my friend from 
Nebraska.
  (Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. BEREUTER. I thank the gentleman for yielding this time to me.
  Mr. Speaker, this Member rises in support of H.R. 3813, the 
Environmental Export promotion Act. This legislation, better 
coordinates the Federal Government's promotion of U.S. environmental 
technology, goods, and services to the world's developing countries.
  Mr. Speaker, the global market for environmental technology, goods, 
and services is growing at an unprecedented rate. By the year 2000, the 
OECD expects this infant market to reach $300 billion annually.

  Although the United States has traditionally enjoyed a substantial 
trade surplus in environmental technologies, goods, and services, other 
industrialized countries including France, Germany, and Japan have also 
recognized this lucrative and growing market and are aggressively 
promoting their own environmental technology, goods, and services.
  Mr. Speaker, our competitors are focusing their efforts on developing 
countries where 95 percent of the world's population growth is expected 
to occur in the next 30 years. They are aggressively competing for 
emerging markets in China and India where one-third of the world's 
population currently live and where 1 billion more people are expected 
to live in 30 years. And Mr. Speaker, our competitors are directing 
their efforts at the world's rapidly emerging megacities and urban 
areas where over half of the world's population will live by the end of 
the century.
  Clearly, the greatest future demand for U.S. environmental exports, 
including the services of U.S. engineers, scientists, and technicians, 
will come from the developing world. Emerging megacities will 
desperately need the housing, sanitation, transportation, 
communication, and power generation facilities in order to prepare them 
for the 21st century.
  Unfortunately, while U.S. engineers, contractors, and exporters 
already recognize this great potential, I am afraid that until recently 
our Federal Government and our foreign policy initiatives for the 
developing world have not sufficiently recognized this potential.
  Therefore, Mr. Speaker, the Environmental Export Promotion Act is a 
good first step toward the aggressive promotion of this leading U.S. 
industrial sector. This legislation carefully refines our environmental 
export promotion strategy by establishing an Environmental Technologies 
Trade Advisory Committee to guide promotion activities and to designate 
priority countries whose markets have the greatest potential for U.S. 
environmental exports of services and goods.
  Additionally, Mr. Speaker, the Environmental Trade Advisory Committee 
will promote and encourage emerging markets to adopt U.S. environmental 
standards, and it will monitor major overseas environmental projects so 
it can quickly alert U.S. environmental technology, goods, and service 
exporters to potential procurement and contract opportunities.
  Mr. Speaker, the World Resources Institute recently predicted that 
the United States would lose its competitive lead in environmental 
technology if it failed to respond to the challenge of our foreign 
competitors. Because we cannot afford to lose another vast and 
lucrative market to foreign competition, this Member commends the 
chairman of the House Foreign Affairs. Subcommittee on Economic Policy, 
Trade, and the Environment, Mr. Gejdenson, and the ranking minority 
member, Mr. Roth, for their farsighted and excellent work in crafting 
this legislature to promote America's environmental exports.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3813.
  Ms. FURSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3813, 
the Environmental Export Promotion Act of 1994. I am an original 
cosponsor of this important legislation which marks the culmination of 
an effort which began a year ago when Chairman Studds of the Merchant 
Marine and Fisheries Committee and I introduced the National 
Environmental Trade Development Act, H.R. 2112. The intent of H.R. 2112 
was to help U.S. companies increase exportation of environmental goods 
and services across the globe, and bolster their already formidable 
presence in this increasingly important market. We were greatly 
assisted this year by the commitment and dedication to this issue of my 
good friend from Connecticut, Mr. Gejdenson of the Foreign Affairs 
Subcommittee on Economic Policy, Trade, and the Environment. The 
Environmental Export Promotion Act before the House today is the result 
of our collaboration, and this bill is important because it proves that 
protecting and enhancing our environment works hand-in-hand with job 
creation. Because of this bill, countries all across the globe will no 
longer be forced to look the other way when faced with serious 
environmental problems; they will have American envirotech businesses 
knocking on their door with solutions.
  I would like to cite a few remarkable numbers with regard to job 
creation and environmental technologies, goods, and services. In my 
home State of Oregon, the 400 envirotech companies currently employ 
nearly 14,000 people. Moreover, the average salary paid in the 
envirotech field is around $31,000--nearly $9,000 higher than the next 
closest industry. Both numbers will grow in the next 10 years. In fact, 
all signs point to a boom before the turn of the century for U.S. 
environmental technology companies. The global envirotech market is 
currently worth $200 billion a year, and is expected to reach $600 
billion over the next 6 years. Hundreds of American companies currently 
have a substantial lead over their foreign competitors in the 
production of environmental technologies, goods, and services. The 
challenge we faced was to link all American envirotech businesses--from 
large corporations to small, entrepreneurial start-ups--with 
opportunities for success in the global marketplace. The bottom line is 
that we needed to help these businesses that have created the new 
technologies and services find direct access to the world markets that 
are open for business. We needed--and this bill delivers--a clearly 
defined national commitment to environmental technologies.
  I have been concerned from the beginning that any environmental 
technology legislation passed by this Congress be driven by the private 
sector. No export strategy can be successful unless the private sector 
has a primary role in its development. As the primary beneficiary of a 
national environmental technology policy, businesses know what they 
need to be successful. For too long, Government has either been too 
intrusive or too hands-off. It is time to have a policy which 
acknowledges that taxpayers deserve to get a return on their 
investment, and that business has to be part of the solution. Business 
executives and entrepreneurs are traveling the globe to clean up the 
mess left behind by years of misuse and neglect. The Gejdenson-Studds-
Furse bill ensures that our role is to help--not hinder--these people 
of vision.

  I am pleased to report that this legislation achieves our laudable 
goals in a number of important ways. First, the Environmental Export 
Promotion Act increases American businesses' access to foreign 
envirotech markets. It establishes a true public-private partnership to 
ensure that Federal agencies and private business work in concert with 
one another to tap these markets. It ensures that information is made 
available to companies which can use it, and does so with a coordinated 
approach. Lastly, this legislation establishes regional environmental 
business and technology cooperation centers to provide technical 
assistance to envirotech companies in their region. These centers will 
help existing envirotech businesses in export promotion and foster 
regional strengths within environmental trade.
  Across the country, firms in the envirotech business are creating 
associations and consortiums to help disseminate information about 
global environmental opportunities. Businesses in Oregon and 
Massachusetts, for example, are already working together to help foster 
an informational network to promote envirotech. The Environmental 
Export Promotion Act realizes the importance of these associations, and 
works with the private sector to maximize these relationships. The 
Oregon Environmental Technology Association [OETA] from my home State 
has played an important role in the development of this legislation. 
Personally, I would like to thank Bill Snyder of the OETA who has 
contributed his expertise and his hard work to this effort.
  I would also like to point out that in addition to working well with 
the private sector, this bill is consistent with the administration's 
environmental export strategy which was released last November. I have 
spoken on a number of occasions with Vice President Gore about this 
legislation; he is committed to environmental technology as part of our 
Nation's future. I have had numerous discussions with the Department of 
Commerce, including Secretary Brown, on how we can all work together on 
a coordinated environmental export policy. Dr. Katherine Sullivan, 
chair of the interagency environmental technologies exports working 
group, did a great job in putting together the Commerce Department's 
role in environmental trade. The Gejdenson-Studds-Furse bill fits in 
perfectly with the goals of the working group and the efforts that have 
been undertaken in the administration.
  By the way, the legislation before us today will help crate literally 
thousands of private-sector, high-wage jobs in our Nation by increasing 
environmental exports. These are the types of jobs that prove that 
helping our environment is not a zero-sum game. When you use 
environmental technologies to help restore land which has been rendered 
useless from contamination, for example, you pay the salaries of the 
envirotech firms which develop effective environmental products or 
services, you pay the salaries of the people who work and use that 
technology to clean up the land, and the entire community regains an 
asset. Investing in the development and export environmental 
technologies, goods, and services is our future--both here in the 
United States and the world.
  I am proud to have committed so much of my time in my first term in 
Congress to passage of this legislation. The Environmental Export 
Promotion Act is our first step into the future, and I urge all my 
colleagues to support passage of H.R. 3813, the Environmental Export 
Promotion Act.

                              {time}  1820

  Mr. ROTH. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I, too, have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Miller of California). The question is 
on the motion offered by the gentleman from Connecticut [Mr. Gejdenson] 
that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3813, as 
amended.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed until Tuesday, April 19, 1994.

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