U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service: Comments on Proposed Transfer to the
Department of State (Testimony, 03/21/95, GAO/T-GGD-95-141).

A proposal before Congress would abolish the Commerce Department's
United States & Foreign Commercial Service and return primary
responsibility for overseas commercial work to the State Department.
Although GAO has not assessed the cost-effectiveness of the Service or
the cost savings that might result from a transfer of commercial work,
State faces fundamental barriers to performing this type of work.  These
impediments led to the transfer of responsibility for commercial work
from the State Department to the Commerce Department and the creation of
the Service.  If promoting export and monitoring foreign government
compliance with trade agreements are to remain a priority, evaluation of
the merits of transferring these functions should consider the State
Department's ability to carry them out.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-GGD-95-141
     TITLE:  U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service: Comments on Proposed 
             Transfer to the Department of State
      DATE:  03/21/95
   SUBJECT:  Foreign trade agreements
             Export regulation
             Federal agency reorganization
             Sales promotion
             Commodity marketing
             Strategic planning
             Agency missions
             International trade
             Interagency relations
             Trade policies

             
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