[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 42 (Thursday, March 4, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10448-10449]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5305]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Industry Sector and Functional Advisory Committees for Trade 
Policy Matters; Request for Nominations

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Trade Development.

ACTION: Request for nominations.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade 
Representative (USTR) are seeking nominations for appointment to each 
of the Industry Sector and Functional Advisory Committees on Trade 
Policy Matters. Nominations will be accepted for current vacancies and 
those that occur throughout the remainder of the charter term, which 
expires March 19, 2000. In order to qualify for representation on an 
Industry Sector or Functional Advisory Committee (ISAC/IFAC), nominees 
must be U.S. citizens representing U.S. manufacturing and service firms 
that trade internationally or an industry association whose members are 
primarily U.S. owned and are involved in international trade.
     Priority will be given to manufacturing establishments and firms 
that are outside of the Washington, D.C. area. U.S.-based subsidiaries 
of foreign companies, non-government organizations, and academic 
institutions do not quality for representation on a committee.
    Recruitment: Vacancies occur throughout the charter period and new 
appointments are made on a rolling basis. Nominations for the current 
charter period will be accepted at any time up to March 2000. 
Recruitment information is available on the International Trade 
Administration website at www.ita.doc.gov/icp. Further inquiries may be 
directed to Tamara Underwood, Acting Director, Industries Consultations 
Program, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Room 2015-B, Washington, D.C. 20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (5 U.S.C. appendix 2), the Secretary of Commerce (the Secretary) 
and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) have renewed the 
Charters of seventeen ISACs and three IFACs. The Secretary and USTR 
welcome nominations for the Industry Sector Advisory Committees for 
Trade Policy Matters (ISACs) and the Industry Functional Advisory 
Committees for Trade Policy Matters (IFACs) listed below:
     Industry Sector Advisory Committees for Trade Policy 
Matters (ISAC) on:

Aerospace Equipment (ISAC 1);
Capital Goods (ISAC 2);
Chemicals and Allied Products (ISAC 3);
Consumer Goods (ISAC 4);
Electronics and Instrumentation (ISAC 5);
Energy (ISAC 6);
Ferrous Ores and Metals (ISAC 7);
Footwear, Leather, and Leather Products (ISAC 8);
Building Products and Other Materials (ISAC 9);
Lumber and Wood Products (ISAC 10);
Nonferrous Ores and Metals (ISAC 11);
Paper and Paper Products (ISAC 12);
Services (ISAC 13);
Small and Minority Business (ISAC 14);
Textiles and Apparel (ISAC 15);
Transportation, Construction, Mining, and Agricultural Equipment (ISAC 
16);
Wholesaling and Retailing (ISAC 17); and
     Industry Functional Advisory Committees on Trade Policy 
Matters on:

Customs (IFAC 1);
Standards (IFAC 2);
Intellectual Property Rights (IFAC 3).

Background

    In section 135 of the Trade Act of 1974 (1974 Trade Act), 19 U.S.C. 
2155), as amended, Congress established a private-sector advisory 
system to ensure that U.S. trade policy and trade negotiation 
objectives adequately reflect U.S. commercial and economic interests. 
Section 135 directs the President to

    ``seek information and advice from representative elements of 
the private sector and the non-Federal governmental sector with 
respect to--
    (A) negotiating objectives and bargaining positions before 
entering into a trade agreement under [title I of the 1974 Trade Act 
and section 1102 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 
1988];
    (B) the operation of any trade agreement once entered into; 
including preparation for dispute settlement panel proceedings to 
which the United States is a party; and
    (C) other matters arising in connection with the development, 
implementation, and administration of the trade policy of the United 
States. * * *''

    The Secretary of Commerce and the USTR co-chair the seventeen ISACs 
and three IFACs.

Functions

    The duties of the ISACs and IFACs are to provide the President with 
advice on objectives and bargaining positions for multilateral trade 
negotiations, bilateral trade negotiations, and other trade related 
matters. The committees provide bipartisan, industry input in the 
development of trade policy objectives. The committees' efforts result 
in strengthening the U.S. negotiating position by enabling the United 
States to display a united front when it negotiates trade agreements 
with other nations.
    The ISACs provide advice and information on issues that affect 
specific sectors of U.S. industry. The ISACs address market-access 
problems; barriers to trade; tariff levels; discriminatory foreign 
procurement practices; information, marketing, and advocacy needs of 
their sector; and other important trade issues.
    The IFACs focus on cross-cutting issues that affect all industry 
sectors, such as customs matters, product standards, and intellectual 
property rights. Other functional issues, such as government 
procurement and subsidies, are handled in ad hoc meetings. Each ISAC 
may also select a member to serve

[[Page 10449]]

on each IFAC so that a broad range of industry perspectives are 
represented.
    Committees meet an average of four times a year in Washington, D.C. 
Members are responsible for all travel expenses incurred to attend the 
meetings.

Membership

    ISAC and IFAC members are appointed jointly by the Secretary of 
Commerce and the USTR. Appointments are made at the rechartering of 
each committee and periodically throughout the two-year charter period. 
Members serve at the discretion of the Secretary and USTR. Appointments 
to an ISAC/IFAC expire at the end of the committee's charter. However, 
members may be reappointed for one or more additional terms should the 
committee's charter be renewed and if the member proves to work 
effectively with the committee and his/her expertise is still needed.
    Each committee is made up of approximately 30-50 members, based on 
the Committee charter. Each committee selects a chairperson from the 
membership of the committee.

Qualifications

    For all committees, the Secretary and USTR invite nominations of 
U.S. citizens who are executives and managers of U.S. manufacturing or 
service companies that trade internationally. The Secretary and USTR 
also invite nominations of executives representing trade associations 
whose members are U.S. companies that trade internationally. Companies 
must be at least 51 percent beneficially-owned by U.S. persons. U.S.-
based subsidiaries of foreign companies do not qualify for 
representation on the committees.
    Nominees are considered based upon their ability to carry out the 
goals of section 135 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended. Secondary 
criteria are ensuring that the committee is balanced in terms of points 
of view, demographies, geography and company size.

Application Procedures

    Requests for applications should be sent to the Director of the 
Industry Consultations Program, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Room 2015-B, Washington, D.C. 20230.
    This notice is issued under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 
U.S.C., app. 2) and 21 CFR part 14 relating to advisory committees.

    Dated: February 23, 1999.
Michael J. Copps,
Assistant Secretary for Trade Development.
[FR Doc. 99-5305 Filed 3-3-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-U