Urging the President to enter into bilateral negotiations with the Government of Mexico for the purpose of securing reductions in import duties on products of which each country is a principal supplier of the other.

Urges the President to: (1) enter into negotiations with Mexico, using guidelines contained in a specified agreement between the United States and Mexico, for the purpose of identifying those products of which such countries are the principal suppliers to each other and on which the import duties can be removed or reduced consistent with the negotiations presently being conducted under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; and (2) take necessary steps to implement the removal or reduction of such duties.

 
HCON 107 IH
101st CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 107
Urging the President to enter into bilateral negotiations with the Government
of Mexico for the purpose of securing reductions in import duties on products
of which each country is a principal supplier of the other.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 3, 1989
Mr. BUSTAMANTE (for himself, Mr. COLEMAN of Texas, Mr. MILLER of California,
Mr. LEVINE of California, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. BERMAN, and Mr. UDALL)
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Urging the President to enter into bilateral negotiations with the Government
of Mexico for the purpose of securing reductions in import duties on products
of which each country is a principal supplier of the other.
Whereas an important historical, economic, and social relationship exists
between the United States and Mexico which calls for special efforts to
increase mutually beneficial commerce between the two countries;
Whereas the economic interrelationship is particularly vital to communities
located on both sides of the border between the two countries;
Whereas continued growth in trade is necessary for the continued growth of
the economies of both countries;
Whereas the Government of Mexico has already taken a number of fundamental
steps to increase market access for United States products, including (1)
acceding to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (hereafter in this
resolution referred to as `GATT'); (2) entering into with the United States
the Framework of Principles and Procedures for Consultations Regarding
Trade and Investment Relations (signed in November 1987); (3) entering into
the Understanding Between the United States and the United Mexican States
Regarding Subsidies and Countervailing Duties (signed in May 1985 and renewed
in May 1988); (4) implementing sharp reductions in import duty rates; and (5)
eliminating most import licenses requirements and quantitative restrictions;
Whereas multilateral negotiations on duty reductions are currently in progress
under the auspices of the Uruguay Round of the GATT, but such negotiations
will take time to complete and implement;
Whereas it is important to increase trade between the United States and
Mexico in order to generate increased employment opportunities and broaden
the economic base of the communities located in the border region of both
countries; and
Whereas Mexico's foreign debt obligations, and its repayment of interest
on such debt, has strained its economy, but this adverse consequence of
its foreign debt burden could be lessened with increased foreign exchange
earnings which flow from increased trade: Now, therefore, be it
  Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That
  the President of the United States should--
  (1) enter into accelerated bilateral negotiations with the Government of
  Mexico, using the bilateral Framework of Principles and Procedures for
  Consultations Regarding Trade and Investment Relations, for the purpose of
  identifying those specific products, of which the United States and Mexico
  are principal suppliers to each other, for which the import duties can be
  removed or reduced in a manner consistent with multilateral negotiations
  on import duty reductions presently being conducted under the authority
  of the GATT; and
  (2) take all steps necessary to implement the removal or reduction of such
  import duties.