S. 1900 (108th): United States-Africa Partnership Act of 2003

Introduced:
Nov 20, 2003 (108th Congress, 2003–2004)
Sponsor:
Sen. Richard Lugar [R-IN]
Status:
Died (Referred to Committee)

The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. S. stands for Senate bill.

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Status

This bill was introduced on November 20, 2003, in a previous session of Congress, but was not enacted.

Progress
Introduced Nov 20, 2003
Referred to Committee Nov 20, 2003
Cosponsors
13 cosponsors (7R, 6D) (show)
Committees

Senate Finance

Senate Foreign Relations

The committee chair determines whether a bill will move past the committee stage.

Full Title

A bill to amend the African Growth and Opportunity Act to expand certain trade benefits to eligible sub-Saharan African countries, and for other purposes.

Summary

No summaries available.

Text

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Last updated Nov 20, 2003.
27 pages

Primary Source

View on THOMAS (The Library of Congress)

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GovTrack’s Bill Summary

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Library of Congress Summary

The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.

11/20/2003--Introduced.
United States-Africa Partnership Act of 2003 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to repeal the requirement that certain non-apparel articles that are the growth, product, or manufacture of a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country (SSA country) under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) shall receive duty-free treatment only if the President determines that they are not import-sensitive in the context of imports from such countries.
Extends duty-free treatment for AGOA articles from FY 2008 through FY 2015.
Amends AGOA to revise requirements for textile and apparel products from SSA countries receiving duty-free and other preferential import treatment.
Permits certain articles to contain fabric or yarn not originating from an SSA country or the United States (third country fabric), regardless of commercial availability in the United States. Extends through FY 2008 the current special rule for lesser developed SSA countries.
Extends duty-free treatment to ethnic printed fabric of an SSA country meeting certain criteria.
Amends AGOA to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) to develop a comprehensive plan for public policies and incentives for the private sector to:
(1) identify SSA products that can be exported to the United States;
(2) analyze critical constraints to U.S.-Africa agricultural trade; and
(3) develop a strategy for increasing such SSA agricultural exports.
Requires the President and the Secretary to direct the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to evaluate methods for training African agricultural producers and for implementing capacity building programs to help the producers meet U.S. food safety standards.
Directs the President to assign at least 20 full-time APHIS personnel to at least ten eligible SSA countries with the greatest:
(1) potential to increase marketable exports of agricultural products to the United States; and
(2) need for technical training and capacity building in meeting phytosanitary standards for such products.
Amends AGOA to condition the President's termination of the designation of an SSA country upon Congress' not prohibiting it.
Requires the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to focus funding on investments in agribusiness, electronics, textiles, and apparel.
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to waive certains prohibitions against OPIC issuance of any contract of insurance or reinsurance, guaranty, or agreement to provide financing for an eligible investor's proposed investment in an SSA country even if such investment is likely to cause a significant reduction in the number of employees in the United States. Amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to require the Bank to implement regulations and procedures appropriate to ensure that full consideration is given to the extent to which any credit extension is likely to have a positive effect on industries, including the textile and apparel industry and agricultural production, in SSA countries.
Requires the Secretary to direct the Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) to work with national African agricultural organizations to identify agricultural equipment and supply needs and implement programs that strengthen the ability of members of African agricultural organizations to fulfill these needs in conjunction with export credit guarantee programs.
States the sense of Congress that USAID, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank), and the African Development Bank, should continue to provide technical assistance to SSA countries in tax policy and revenue administration.
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to seek negotiations with those SSA countries which the Secretary determines will benefit most from an income tax treaty with the United States to avoid double taxation.
Directs the USAID Administrator to study the economy of each SSA country, identifying growth sectors and barriers impeding growth, as well as how the U.S. Government and the private sector can provide technical assistance to help dismantle such barriers and promote investment in such sectors.
Directs the President to develop and implement policies to encourage, and assist with, investment in transportation, energy, agriculture, and telecommunications infrastructure in SSA countries.
Directs the USAID Administrator to foster specified port-to-port and airport-to-airport relationships.
Directs the President to assemble an interagency task force to facilitate the goals and objectives of this Act. Authorizes the USTR to provide grants to U.S. nongovernmental organizations and to U.S. representatives of the private sector to host AGAO forums.

House Republican Conference Summary

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The bill contains the following citations to other parts of U.S. law:

Slip Laws

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United States Code

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Statutes at Large

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  • 116 Stat. 1038