[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 250 (Thursday, December 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73518-73519]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33862]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Industry Sector Advisory Committees (ISACs) 10 and 12 for Trade 
Policy Matters; Request for Nominations

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Trade Development, 
Commerce.

ACTION: Request for nominations.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Secretary of Commerce (Commerce) and the United States 
Trade Representative (USTR) are seeking nominations for appointment of 
environmental representatives to the Industry Sector Advisory Committee 
on Lumber and Wood Products (ISAC 10) and the Industry Sector Advisory 
Committee on Paper and Paper Products (ISAC 12). Appointments will be 
effective for the remainder of the current charter term of these 
Committees, which expires March 19, 2000, and will be extended for the 
following two-year charter term. In order to be considered for 
appointment to one of these Committees, a nominee must be a U.S. 
citizen, must have an interest in and specialized knowledge of 
environmental issues relevant to the work of the Committee, and may not 
be a registered foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration 
Act. This notice responds to a November 8, 1999 order of the Federal 
District Court for the Western District of Washington in Northwest 
Ecosystems Alliance v. USTR (No. C99-1165R), directing Commerce and 
USTR to appoint a ``properly qualified environmental representative'' 
to each of these committees.
    In order to receive full consideration, nominations for the current 
charter period should be received not later than January 21, 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, Director, Industries Consultations 
Program, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Room 2015-B, Washington, D.C. 20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In section 135 of the 1974 Trade Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2155), 
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(a)(1) of the 1974 
Trade Act 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 * * * .''
    Section 135(c)(2) of the 1974 Trade Act provides--
    (2) The President shall establish such sectoral or functional 
advisory committees as may be appropriate. Such committees shall, 
insofar as is practicable, be representative of all industry, labor, 
agricultural, or service interests (including small business interests) 
in the sector or functional areas concerned. In organizing such 
committees, the United States Trade Representative and the Secretaries 
of Commerce, Labor, Agriculture, the Treasury, or other executive 
departments, as appropriate, shall--
    (A) Consult with interested private organizations; and
    (B) Take into account such factors as--
    (i) Patterns of actual and potential competition between United 
States industry and agriculture and foreign enterprise in international 
trade,

[[Page 73519]]

    (ii) The character of the nontariff barriers and other distortions 
affecting such competition,
    (iii) The necessity for reasonable limits on the number of such 
advisory committees,
    (iv) The necessity that each committee be reasonably limited in 
size, and
    (v) In the case of each sectoral committee, that the product lines 
covered by each committee be reasonably related.

Pursuant to this provision, Commerce and USTR have established and co-
chair seventeen Industry Sector Advisory Committees (ISACs) and four 
Industry Functional Advisory Committees (IFACs). The Committees' 
efforts have resulted in strengthening U.S. negotiating positions by 
enabling the United States to display a united front when it negotiates 
trade agreements with other nations. Committees meet an average of four 
times a year in Washington, D.C. Members serve without compensation and 
are responsible for all expenses incurred in attending Committee 
meetings. For additional information regarding the functions and 
membership of these committees, and general qualifications for 
membership, see 64 FR 10448-10449, March 4, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 
42).
    On July 21, 1999, several groups interested in forest conservation 
issues brought a lawsuit against USTR and Commerce challenging the 
balance of representation on ISACs 10 and 12. The district court ruled 
in favor of plaintiffs on November 8, 1999 and ordered USTR and 
Commerce to ``make a good faith effort to expedite the appointment of 
at least one properly qualified environmental representative'' to each 
of these advisory committees. This notice is issued in compliance with 
the court's order.

Eligibility

    Eligibility to serve as an environmental representative on ISAC 10 
or ISAC 12 is limited to U.S. citizens who are not full-time employees 
of a governmental entity, who represent a ``U.S. entity'', and who are 
not registered with the Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents 
Registration Act. For purposes of the preceding sentence, a ``U.S. 
entity'' is an organization incorporated in the United States (or, if 
unincorporated, having its headquarters in the United States):
    (1) That is controlled by U.S. citizens or by another U.S. entity. 
An entity is not a U.S. entity if more than 50 percent of its Board of 
Directors or membership is made up of non-U.S. citizens. If the nominee 
is to represent an organization more than 10 percent of whose Board of 
Directors or membership is made up of non-U.S. citizens, or non-U.S. 
entities, the nominee must demonstrate at the time of nomination that 
this non-U.S. interest does not constitute control and will not 
adversely affect his or her ability to serve as a trade advisor to the 
United States; and
    (2) At least 50 percent of whose annual revenue is attributable to 
non-governmental, U.S. sources.

Selection Criteria

    USTR and Commerce will select environmental representatives 
eligible for appointment to ISACs 10 and 12 based upon the following:
    (1) The nominee should demonstrate personal interest in and 
knowledge of the formulation of environmental policies in the sector 
relevant to the work of the Committee, and ability to work with 
governmental and officials and industry representatives to reach 
consensus on complex environmental and trade issues affecting the 
relevant industry sector.
    (2) Preference will be accorded nominees who also demonstrate 
knowledge of and familiarity with the relevant industry sector, as well 
as with international trade matters, including trade policy 
development, relevant to that sector.
    Two representatives will be appointed, one for each Committee. 
Representatives will require a security clearance. Members serve 
without compensation and are responsible for all expenses incurred in 
attending Committee meetings.

Applicant 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.
Michael J. Copps,
Assistant Secretary for Trade Development.
[FR Doc. 99-33862 Filed 12-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-U