H.R. 4678 (111th): Foreign Manufacturers Legal Accountability Act of 2010

Introduced:
Feb 24, 2010 (111th Congress, 2009–2010)
Sponsor:
Rep. Betty Sutton [D-OH13]
Status:
Died (Reported by Committee)
See Instead:
This bill was re-introduced as H.R. 3646 (112th) on Dec 13, 2011.

The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. H.R. stands for House of Representatives bill.

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.


2/24/2010--Introduced.
Foreign Manufacturers Legal Accountability Act of 2010 - Directs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (with respect to drugs, devices, cosmetics, and biological products), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) (with respect to consumer products), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (with respect to chemical substances, new chemical substances, and pesticides) to require foreign manufacturers and producers of such products (or components used to manufacture them), in excess of a minimum value or quantity, to establish a registered agent in the United States who is authorized to accept service of process on their behalf for the purpose of all civil and regulatory actions in state and federal courts. Requires the registered agent to be located in a state with a substantial connection to the importation, distribution, or sale of the products. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish, maintain, and make available to the public a registry of such agents. Deems a foreign manufacturer or producer of products covered under this Act that registers an agent to consent to the personal jurisdiction of the state or federal courts of the state in which the agent is located for the purpose of any civil or regulatory proceeding. Prohibits importation into the United States of a covered product (or component part that will be used in the United States to manufacture a covered product) if the product (or component part) or any part of the product (or component part) was manufactured or produced outside the United States by a manufacturer or producer who does not have a registered agent whose authority is in effect on the date of the importation. Requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the Commissioner of Food and Drugs to jointly study the feasibility and advisability of requiring foreign producers of food distributed in commerce to establish a registered agent in the United States who is authorized to accept service of process on behalf of such producers for the purpose of all civil and regulatory actions in state and federal courts.

House Republican Conference Summary

The summary below was written by the House Republican Conference, which is the caucus of Republicans in the House of Representatives.


No summary available.

House Democratic Caucus Summary

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

United States Code

The United States Code is the compilation of permanent laws enacted by Congress. Temporary and other non-permanent laws do not appear in the United States Code. (About half of the United States Code is the law itself, called positive law. The other half is merely a compilation of the laws but has no legal significance.)

  • Title 7: AGRICULTURE
  • Chapter 6: INSECTICIDES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PESTICIDE CONTROL
  • Subchapter II: ENVIRONMENTAL PESTICIDE CONTROL
  • Section 136: Definitions
  • Title 15: COMMERCE AND TRADE
  • Chapter 47: CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY
  • Section 2052: Definitions
  • Chapter 53: TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL
  • Subchapter I: CONTROL OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES
  • Section 2602: Definitions
  • Title 21: FOOD AND DRUGS
  • Chapter 9: FEDERAL FOOD, DRUG, AND COSMETIC ACT
  • Subchapter II: DEFINITIONS
  • Section 321: Definitions; generally
  • Title 42: THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
  • Chapter 6A: PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
  • Subchapter II: GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES
  • Part F: Licensing of Biological Products and Clinical Laboratories
  • Subpart 1: biological products
  • Section 262: Regulation of biological products
  • Title 49: TRANSPORTATION
  • Subtitle VI: MOTOR VEHICLE AND DRIVER PROGRAMS
  • Part A: GENERAL
  • Chapter 301: MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY
  • Subchapter I: GENERAL
  • Section 30102: Definitions