[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 762 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 762
To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2008 for voluntary
contributions on a grant basis to the Organization of American States
(OAS) to establish a Center for Caribbean Basin Trade and to establish
a skills-based training program for Caribbean Basin countries.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 31, 2007
Mr. Fortuno (for himself and Mr. Burton of Indiana) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2008 for voluntary
contributions on a grant basis to the Organization of American States
(OAS) to establish a Center for Caribbean Basin Trade and to establish
a skills-based training program for Caribbean Basin countries.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Caribbean Basin
Trade Enhancement Act of 2007''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--CENTER FOR CARIBBEAN BASIN TRADE
Sec. 101. Findings.
Sec. 102. Establishment.
Sec. 103. Activities.
Sec. 104. Administrative provisions.
Sec. 105. Sense of Congress.
TITLE II--CARIBBEAN BASIN SKILLS-BASED TRAINING PROGRAM
Sec. 201. Findings.
Sec. 202. Establishment.
Sec. 203. Activities.
Sec. 204. Sense of Congress.
TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 301. Report.
Sec. 302. Definitions.
Sec. 303. Authorization of appropriations.
TITLE I--CENTER FOR CARIBBEAN BASIN TRADE
SEC. 101. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Increased globalization and economic integration are
requiring countries throughout the world to rethink their
competitiveness strategies and to take affirmative steps to
improve their trade capacities.
(2) Countries of the Caribbean Basin can benefit from
assistance to improve their trade capacities.
(3) The Organization of American States (OAS) has relevant
experience in developing trade capacity initiatives and
programs of countries of the Western Hemisphere. In particular,
the Department of Trade, Tourism and Competitiveness of the OAS
has successfully trained trade negotiators, particularly within
the context of negotiations to conclude a Free Trade Area of
the Americas (FTAA).
SEC. 102. ESTABLISHMENT.
The Secretary of State is authorized to make a voluntary
contribution on a grant basis to the Organization of American States to
establish a Center for Caribbean Basin Trade (hereinafter in this title
referred to as the ``Center'') in accordance with the provisions of
this title.
SEC. 103. ACTIVITIES.
The Center shall carry out the following activities:
(1) Provide government officials of Caribbean Basin
countries, including trade negotiators, with technical
assistance in developing and implementing trade agreements.
(2) Assist government officials and private sector
representatives of Caribbean Basin countries to further assist
firms in developing export readiness, such as developing firms'
commitment, identifying primary target markets, selecting
market entry strategies, developing an international market
plan, and developing distribution networks in other countries.
(3) Provide training and consulting services to Caribbean
Basin countries to upgrade port facilities, strengthen security
measures, upgrade customs procedures, and modernize other
infrastructure critical to trade.
(4) Provide training and consulting services to government
officials and private sector representatives of Caribbean Basin
countries on import requirements of major trading countries for
the Caribbean Basin region, including the United States, as
well as financing mechanisms.
SEC. 104. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
The Secretary of State, acting through the Assistant Secretary of
State for Western Hemisphere Affairs and the United States Permanent
Representative to the Organization of American States, shall work with
the Organization of American States to determine the location, staffing
requirements, programs, and working methodology of the Center.
SEC. 105. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that a thorough study and analysis
should be undertaken to determine a permanent location of the Center.
TITLE II--CARIBBEAN BASIN SKILLS-BASED TRAINING PROGRAM
SEC. 201. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Studies demonstrate that greater emphasis needs to be
given to secondary education in countries of the Western
Hemisphere, including Caribbean Basin countries, in order to
bridge the widening educational and technology gap in such
countries, which ultimately hinders job growth.
(2) Access to education is fundamental in helping to
eradicate the poverty which limits economic growth in the
countries of the Caribbean Basin.
(3) Countries of the Western Hemisphere have consistently
lagged behind the countries of Asia and other regions,
suffering a self-perpetuating cycle of low-growth and
increasing poverty.
(4) The community college system in the United States
provides skills-based training for United States workers and is
a useful model for a skills-based training system for Caribbean
Basin countries.
(5) A skills-based training program established under the
management of the Organization of American States (OAS) would
be an effective means of addressing the needs of individuals
and economic concerns in the Caribbean Basin region.
(6) Such a program would provide individuals with the
skills required to improve their standard of living and,
together with employers, would further facilitate the economic
integration of the countries of the Western Hemisphere.
SEC. 202. ESTABLISHMENT.
The Secretary of State is authorized to make a voluntary
contribution on a grant basis to the Organization of American States to
establish a skills-based training program for Caribbean Basin countries
(hereinafter in this title referred to as the ``program'') in
accordance with the provisions of this title.
SEC. 203. ACTIVITIES.
The program shall carry out activities to support a productive
workforce in Caribbean Basin countries.
SEC. 204. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that the program should focus on mid-
level technical education and training for the workforce in Caribbean
Basin countries, utilizing existing educational facilities, cooperative
private sector and government entities, and Internet-based training.
TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS
SEC. 301. REPORT.
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report on the implementation of this Act.
SEC. 302. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the
Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
(2) Caribbean basin countries; countries of the caribbean
basin.--The term ``Caribbean Basin countries'' or ``countries
of the Caribbean Basin'' means the countries and territories
specified in the matter preceding paragraph (1) of section
212(b) of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (19 U.S.C.
2702(b)).
(3) OAS.--The term ``OAS'' means the Organization of
American States.
SEC. 303. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of State to carry out this Act such sums
as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008.
(b) Sense of Congress.--Of the amount appropriated pursuant to the
authorization of appropriations under subsection (a), it is the sense
of Congress that up to $10,000,000 should be available to carry out
title I of this Act and up to $10,000,000 should be available to carry
out title II of this Act.
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