[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 94 (Thursday, June 27, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S5492]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




NOTIFICATION OF THE PRESIDENT'S INTENT TO TERMINATE THE DESIGNATION OF 
 BANGLADESH AS A BENEFICIARY DEVELOPING COUNTRY UNDER THE GENERALIZED 
               SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES (GSP) PROGRAM--PM 15

  The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 
from the President of the United States which was referred to the 
Committee on Finance:

To the Congress of the United States:
  In accordance with section 502(f)(2) of the Trade Act of 1974, as 
amended (the ``1974 Act'') (19 U.S.C. 2462(f)(2)), I am providing 
notification of my intent to suspend the designation of Bangladesh as a 
beneficiary developing country under the Generalized System of 
Preferences (GSP) program. Section 502(b)(2)(G) of the 1974 Act (19 
U.S.C. 2462(b)(2)(G)) provides that the President shall not designate 
any country a beneficiary developing country under the GSP if such 
country has not taken or is not taking steps to afford internationally 
recognized worker rights in the country (including any designated zone 
in that country). Section 502(d)(2) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 
2462(d)(2)) provides that, after complying with the requirements of 
section 502(f)(2) of the 1974 Act, the President shall withdraw or 
suspend the designation of any country as a beneficiary developing 
country if, after such designation, the President determines that as 
the result of changed circumstances such country would be barred from 
designation as a beneficiary developing country under section 502(b)(2) 
of the 1974 Act.
  Pursuant to section 502(d) of the 1974 Act, having considered the 
factors set forth in section 502(b)(2)(G), I have determined that it is 
appropriate to suspend Bangladesh's designation as a beneficiary 
developing country under the GSP program because it is not taking steps 
to afford internationally recognized worker rights to workers in the 
country.
                                                        Barack Obama.  
The White House, June 27, 2013.

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