[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 17003]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION OF SECRECY--TREATY DOCUMENT NO. 110-3

  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, as in executive session, I ask 
unanimous consent that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the 
following treaty transmitted to the Senate on June 21, 2007, by the 
President of the United States: Tax Convention with Belgium, Treaty 
Document No. 110-3.
  I further ask unanimous consent that the treaty be considered as 
having been read the first time, that it be referred, with accompanying 
papers, to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be 
printed, and that the President's message be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The message of the President is as follows:
To the Senate of the United States:
  I transmit herewith, for Senate advice and consent to ratification, 
the Convention Between the Government of the United States of America 
and the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium for the Avoidance of 
Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to 
Taxes on Income, and accompanying Protocol, signed on November 27, 
2006, at Brussels (the ``proposed Treaty''). The proposed Treaty will 
replace the existing income tax treaty between the two countries that 
was concluded in 1970 and amended by protocol in 1987. Also transmitted 
for the information of the Senate is the report of the Department of 
State with respect to the proposed Treaty.
  The proposed Treaty eliminates the withholding tax on certain cross-
border dividend payments, including dividend payments to pension funds. 
The proposed Treaty also provides for mandatory arbitration of certain 
cases brought before the competent authorities. This provision is only 
the second of its kind in a proposed U.S. tax treaty. In addition, the 
proposed Treaty includes provisions, consistent with current U.S. tax-
treaty policy, that are designed to prevent so-called treaty shopping.
  I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to 
the proposed Treaty and give its advice and consent to ratification.
                                                      George W. Bush.  
The White House, June 21, 2007.

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