    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 117, 108th Congress, 1st Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Proclamation 7657 of March 28, 2003

    To Take Certain Actions Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act
    With Respect to the Republic of The Gambia and the Democratic Republic
    of Congo

    By the President of the United States of America
    A Proclamation

    1. Section 506A(a)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the ``1974
    Act'') (19 U.S.C. 2466a(a)(1)), as added by section 111(a) of the
    African Growth and Opportunity Act (title I of Public Law 106-200)
    (AGOA), authorizes the President to designate a country listed in
    section 107 of the AGOA (19 U.S.C. 3706) as a ``beneficiary sub-Saharan
    African country'' if the President determines that the country meets the
    eligibility requirements set forth in section 104 of the AGOA (19 U.S.C.
    3703), as well as the eligibility criteria set forth in section 502 of
    the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2462).
    2. Section 104 of the AGOA authorizes the President to designate a
    country listed in section 107 of the AGOA as an ``eligible sub-Saharan
    African country'' if the President determines that the country meets
    certain eligibility requirements.
    3. Section 112(b)(3)(B) of the AGOA (19 U.S.C. 3721(b)(3)(B)) provides
    special rules for certain apparel articles imported from ``lesser
    developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries.''
    4. Pursuant to section 104 of the AGOA and section 506A(a)(1) of the
    1974 Act, I have determined that the Republic of The Gambia (The Gambia)
    meets the eligibility requirements set forth or referenced therein, and
    I have decided to designate The Gambia as an eligible sub-Saharan
    African country and as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country.
    5. Pursuant to section 104 of the AGOA, I have determined that the
    Democratic Republic of Congo (DROC) meets the eligibility criteria set
    forth therein, and I have decided to designate DROC as an eligible sub-
    Saharan African country.
    6. I have further decided to authorize the United States Trade
    Representative (USTR) to exercise the authority provided to the
    President under section 506A(a)(1) of the 1974 Act with respect to DROC.
    The USTR shall announce any such exercise of authority in a notice
    published in the Federal Register.
    7. The Gambia satisfies the criterion for treatment as a ``lesser
    developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African country'' under section
    112(b)(3)(B) of the AGOA. DROC, if it is designated as a beneficiary
    sub-Saharan African country, would also satisfy the criterion for
    treatment as a ``lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African
    country'' under section 112(b)(3)(B) of the AGOA.
    8. Section 604 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2483) authorizes the President
    to embody in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS)
    the substance of the relevant provisions of that Act, and of other acts
    affecting import treatment, and actions thereunder, including the
    removal, modification, continuance, or imposition of any rate of duty or
    other import restriction.

    [[Page 3019]]
    117 STAT. 3019

    9. With respect to any designation of DROC as a beneficiary sub-Saharan
    African country, I have decided to authorize the USTR to exercise the
    authority provided to the President under section 604 of the 1974 Act to
    embody modifications and technical or conforming changes in the HTS.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
    America, acting under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
    the laws of the United States of America, including sections 506A and
    604 of the 1974 Act and section 104 of the AGOA, do proclaim that:
    (1) The Gambia is designated as an eligible sub-Saharan African
    country and as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country.
    (2) In order to reflect this designation in the HTS, general note
    16(a) to the HTS is modified by inserting in alphabetical sequence in
    the list of beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries ``Republic of The
    Gambia.''
    (3) DROC is designated as an eligible sub-Saharan African country.
    (4) The USTR is authorized to exercise the authority provided to the
    President under section 506A(a)(1) of the 1974 Act with respect to DROC.
    The USTR shall announce any such exercise of authority in a notice
    published in the Federal Register. To implement any designation of DROC
    as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country, the USTR is authorized to
    exercise the authority provided to the President under section 604 of
    the 1974 Act to embody modifications and technical or conforming changes
    in the HTS.
    (5) For purposes of section 112(b)(3)(B) of the AGOA, The Gambia is
    a lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African country. If it is
    designated as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country, DROC would also
    be a lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African country for
    purposes of section 112(b)(3)(B) of the AGOA.
    (6) Any provisions of previous proclamations and Executive Orders
    that are inconsistent with this proclamation are superseded to the
    extent of such inconsistency.
    (7) The modification to the HTS made by this proclamation shall be
    effective with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse
    for consumption, on or after the date of publication of this
    proclamation in the Federal Register.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day
    of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand three, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
    seventh.
    GEORGE W. BUSH

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    117 STAT. 3020