H.R. 3836 — Export Development Task Force Act of 1990

 
HR 3836 IH
101st CONGRESS
1st Session
 H. R. 3836
To establish a bipartisan task force on export development, and for other
purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 21, 1989
Mr. RIDGE introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to the
Committees on Foreign Affairs and Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs
A BILL
To establish a bipartisan task force on export development, and for other
purposes.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
  States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  This Act may be cited as the `Export Development Task Force Act of 1990'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  The Congress finds that--
  (1) the existing current account and merchandise trade deficits pose a
  serious threat to the continued economic strength and vitality of the
  United States;
  (2) existing Federal policy and programs on export development are severely
  hampered by a lack of coordination among the many Federal departments and
  agencies responsible for such policies and programs;
  (3) limited Federal resources for export development or promotion are
  impaired by duplication and fragmentation;
  (4) it is essential to the future international competitiveness of the
  United States that Federal policy relating to exports of nonagricultural
  goods and services be effectively coordinated and that Federal dollars
  for the development and promotion of such exports be efficiently used;
  (5) the development and promotion of United States exports must be given
  the highest national priority, and the executive and legislative branches
  must work closely together to achieve this goal; and
  (6) in order to enhance the ability of the United States to compete in the
  world market and to enhance its domestic economic well-being, the President
  should exercise his authority to terminate, realign, or reconfigure existing
  Federal policy and resources so that they can be used more effectively to
  develop and promote United States exports.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
  There is established the Bipartisan Task Force on Export Development and
  Promotion (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the `Task Force').
SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE TASK FORCE.
  (a) IN GENERAL- The Task Force shall conduct a comprehensive review of
  all Federal activities and programs that assist United States businesses
  in export development or promotion of nonagricultural goods and services,
  including all financing programs.
  (b) SPECIFIC DUTIES- In conducting its review under subsection (a), the
  Task Force shall--
  (1) investigate and develop recommendations with respect to--
  (A) improving the coordination of export development or promotion policy and
  programs as formulated and administered by Federal departments and agencies;
  (B) improving the effectiveness of existing Federal financing programs as
  they relate to the development or promotion of exports;
  (C) expanding those activities and programs found by the Task Force to
  be most productive in fostering export development or promotion among
  businesses;
  (D) transferring authority for any activity or program that assists or
  affects export development or promotion, including any financing program,
  from the department or agency presently responsible for such activity or
  program to another department or agency, in a case in which the Task Force
  believes that such a transfer would enhance the efforts of the United
  States to increase exports; and
  (E) terminating activities or programs found by the Task Force to be
  duplicative or ineffective;
  (2) assess the current deployment of resources and personnel for export
  development or promotion by Federal departments and agencies in their
  respective central, foreign, and domestic offices and develop recommendations
  with respect to--
  (A) the adequacy of existing resources and personnel;
  (B) improving coordination among the central, foreign, and domestic offices
  of the various Federal departments and agencies; and
  (C) improving coordination between offices of Federal departments and
  agencies, and those agencies of State and local governments and private
  organizations, that assist or affect export development or promotion,
  including coordination among field offices of such Federal, State, and
  local agencies and such organizations;
  (3) analyze the administrative requirements imposed on persons in order to
  secure export trade financing under Federal financing programs, and recommend
  any regulatory and administrative changes to improve the availability of
  export trade financing to United States exporters, particularly for export
  transactions under $50,000; and
  (4) consider the strategies, organizational structures, programs, and
  activities to promote exports, that are used by competitor nations with
  economies similar to the economy of the United States.
The analysis done under paragraph (3) should not include any analysis of
the resolution of the debt burden of less developed countries.
SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.
  (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT- The Task Force shall be composed of 13 members
  appointed from among persons in private life as follows:
  (1) 3 members appointed by the President.
  (2) 3 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
  (3) 2 members appointed by the minority leader of the House of
  Representatives.
  (4) 3 members appointed by the majority leader of the Senate.
  (5) 2 members appointed by the minority leader of the Senate.
Appointments under this subsection shall be made within 30 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
  (b) QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS- (1) The members of the Task Force shall
  include those persons with extensive experience and national reputations
  in commerce, industry, and export financing, as well as broad, current
  experience in exporting.
  (2) Special consideration shall be given to include among the members of
  the Task Force, subject to paragraph (1)--
  (A) individuals representing small and medium sized businesses; and
  (B) individuals with extensive experience and knowledge of State export
  development and promotion programs, including financing programs related
  to exports.
  (c) VACANCIES- A vacancy on the Task Force shall be filled in the manner
  in which the original appointment was made.
  (d) TERMS- Members shall be appointed for the life of the Task Force.
  (e) BASIC PAY- (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), members of the
  Task Force shall serve without pay.
  (2) Members of the Task Force shall be paid travel and transportation
  expenses in the same manner as an employee serving intermittently in the
  Government service under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code,
  while away from their home or regular place of business in the performance
  of duties for the Task Force.
SEC. 6. CHAIR; MEETINGS.
  (a) CHAIR- The President shall designate one of the members of the Task
  Force as the Chair of the Task Force.
  (b) MEETINGS- The Task Force shall meet at the call of the Chair or a
  majority of its members.
  (c) QUORUM- 8 members of the Task Force shall constitute a quorum but a
  lesser number may hold hearings.
  (d) VOTING- Decisions of the Task Force shall be according to the vote of
  a majority of its members present at a properly called meeting.
SEC. 7. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF TASK FORCE; EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.
  (a) DIRECTOR- With the approval of the Task Force, the Chair of the Task
  Force shall, without regard to section 5311(b) of title 5, United States
  Code, appoint and fix the pay of a person to serve as Staff Director of
  the Task Force.
  (b) STAFF- With the approval of the Task Force and without regard to section
  5311(b) of title 5, United States Code, the Chair may appoint and fix the
  pay of such personnel as the Chair considers appropriate.
  (c) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE LAWS- The Director and staff of
  the Commission may be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5,
  United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and
  may be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III
  of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule
  pay rates, except that no individual so appointed may receive pay in excess
  of the annual rate of basic pay payable for GS-16 of the General Schedule.
  (d) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS- With the approval of the Task Force, the
  Chair of the Task Force may procure temporary and intermittent services
  under section 3109(b) of title 5 of the United States Code, but at rates
  for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the highest rate
  payable under section 5332 of such title.
  (e) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES- Upon the request of the Task Force, the head
  of any Federal agency is authorized to detail, on a reimbursable basis,
  any of the personnel of such agency to the Task Force to assist the Task
  Force in carrying out its duties under this Act.
SEC. 8. POWERS OF TASK FORCE.
  (a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS- The Task Force may, for the purpose of carrying
  out this Act, hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places,
  take such testimony, and receive such evidence, as the Task Force considers
  appropriate.
  (b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS- Any member or agent of the Task Force
  may, if so authorized by the Task Force, take any action which the Task
  Force is authorized to take by this section.
  (c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA- (1) The Task Force may secure directly from
  any department or agency of the United States any information necessary
  to enable it to carry out this Act.
  (2) Upon the request of the Chair of the Task Force, the head of a
  department or agency of the United States shall furnish such information
  to the Task Force.
  (d) MAILS- The Task Force may use the United States mails in the same
  manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of
  the United States.
  (e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES- The Administrator of General Services
  shall provide to the Task Force on a reimbursable basis such administrative
  support services as the Task Force may request.
SEC. 9. REPORT.
  The Task Force shall transmit to the President and to each House of the
  Congress, not later than 11 months after the date of the enactment of
  this Act, a report which contains a detailed statement of the findings
  and recommendations of the Task Force.
SEC. 10. ACTION BY PRESIDENT.
  Not later than 30 days after the Task Force submits its report under section
  9, the President shall transmit to the Interagency Working Group on Export
  Development established by section 11 those recommendations of the Task
  Force that the President has accepted and can be implemented without
  further statutory authority.
SEC. 11. INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON EXPORT DEVELOPMENT.
  (a) ESTABLISHMENT- There is established the `Interagency Working Group on
  Export Development' (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the `Working
  Group').
  (b) DUTIES- (1) The Working Group shall assist the Task Force in carrying
  out its duties under section 4.
  (2) Following the submission by the Task Force of its report under section
  9, the Working Group shall, acting through its members, carry out and
  coordinate the implementation of the recommendations accepted by the
  President and transmitted to the Working Group under section 10.
  (c) MEMBERS- (1) The Working Group shall be composed of the following
  members or their designee:
  (A) The Secretary of Commerce.
  (B) The Secretary of the Treasury.
  (C) The Secretary of State.
  (D) The United States Trade Representative.
  (E) The President of the Export-Import Bank.
  (F) The Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
  (G) The President of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.
  (H) The Administrator of the Agency for International Development.
  (I) The Director of the Trade and Development Program.
  (J) Such additional members from other Federal departments and agencies
  as the President determines to be appropriate.
  (2) The Secretary of Commerce, or the Secretary's designee, shall be the
  Chair of the Working Group.
  (d) REPORT- The Working Group shall submit to the President and to each
  House of the Congress, not later than 6 months after receiving those
  recommendations of the Task Force transmitted by the President under
  section 10, a report which contains a detailed statement on the actions
  taken and the progress made to implement those recommendations.
  (e) EXPORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY- (1) The Working Group shall develop
  a proposed strategy, to be implemented among Federal departments and
  agencies over a 5-year period, to develop export markets for United
  States nonagricultural goods and services. In developing such strategy,
  the Working Group shall take into account the findings and recommendations
  of the report of the Task Force under section 9.
  (2) Not later than 7 months after the submission by the Task Force of its
  report under section 10, the Working Group shall transmit to each House of
  the Congress a report setting forth the export market development strategy
  developed under paragraph (1).
  (f) TERMINATION OF WORKING GROUP- After the submission of its reports
  under subsections (d) and (e)(2), the Working Group may be terminated at
  the discretion of the President.
SEC. 12. MONITORING BY TASK FORCE.
  The Task Force shall monitor the implementation by the Working Group of
  those recommendations accepted by the President and transmitted to the
  Working Group under section 10.
SEC. 13. TERMINATION OF TASK FORCE.
  The Task Force shall cease to exist 30 days after the Working Group submits
  its reports under section 11.
SEC. 14. DEFINITION.
  As used in this Act, the term `export development or promotion' means the
  development or promotion of the export of United States nonagricultural
  goods and services.
Export Development Task Force Act of 1990

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