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A bill to amend the Trade Act of 1974 to ensure that United States industry is consulted with respect to all aspects of the WTO dispute settlement process.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 18, 1999

Amends the Trade Act of 1974 with respect to any dispute settlement panel or Appellate Body report that is adopted in favor of the United States pursuant to the Understanding of Rules and Procedures Covering the Settlement of Disputes of the World Trade Organization (WTO) with regard to the enforcement of U.S. rights under a trade agreement with a foreign country. Directs the United States Trade Representative (USTR), within 90 days of the adoption of the panel report, or if appealed, within 90 days of the adoption of the Appellate Body report, to: (1) make public information contained in such report; and (2) seek advice from the appropriate WTO committee and from specified congressional committees. Requires the USTR, if it is agreed pursuant to the dispute settlement proceedings of the WTO that a foreign country shall have more than 220 days to implement the report's recommendations to: (1) provide notice (90 days before expiration of such time period) and give interested parties a 30-day period to comment on the report; (2) report to Congress regarding progress made by the foreign country in implementing the recommendations, and any action the USTR is considering if such recommendations are not implemented or if the implementation plan is inconsistent with the report; and (3) seek advice from the appropriate WTO committee. Sets forth comment procedures after time period expires. Directs the USTR in any multilateral review of the dispute settlement procedures of the WTO, to seek adoption of procedures that would require a WTO member against whom a panel or Appellate Body has issued a report to: (1) submit to all interested parties the member's plans for implementing report recommendations not later than six months before the end of the reasonable period allowed for their implementation; and (2) consult with such parties regarding member's plans for implementing such recommendations so that any request for their modification can be considered before implementation and before the end of the reasonable period.

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Who introduced it

Sen. Ashcroft, John [R-MO] · R–MO

Committees

  • Finance Committee
7 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

  2. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5497-5498)

  3. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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