1998 Supplemental Appropriations Act for the International Monetary Fund

1998 Supplemental Appropriations Act for the International Monetary Fund - Makes supplemental appropriations to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for FY 1998 for: (1) loans to the IMF under the New Arrangements to Borrow (equivalent to a specified amount of Special Drawing Rights); and (2) an increase in the U.S. IMF quota of Special Drawing Rights. Authorizes the use for the New Arrangements to Borrow of a specified amount of previously appropriated IMF Special Drawing Rights for the General Arrangements to Borrow. (Sec. 101) Prohibits funds appropriated for the U.S. IMF quota from being obligated, transferred, or made available to the IMF until 30 days after the Secretary of the Treasury certifies, to the appropriate congressional committees, that the IMF Board of Executive Directors have agreed by resolution that stand-by agreements or other arrangements regarding the use of IMF resources shall include provisions requiring a borrower to: (1) comply with the terms of all of its international trade obligations and agreements; (2) eliminate the practice of government directed lending or provision of subsidies to favored industries, enterprises, parties, or institutions; and (3) guarantee non-discriminatory treatment in debt resolution proceedings between domestic and foreign creditors, and for debtors and other concerned persons. (Sec. 102) Directs the Secretary to certify to the appropriate congressional committees that the IMF Board has agreed to provide timely access (transparency) by the Comptroller General to information and documents relating to IMF operations, program and policy reviews, and decisions regarding stand-by agreements and other uses of its resources. Requires the Secretary to direct, and the IMF U.S. Executive Director to agree, to provide access by the Comptroller General to IMF documents, information, and operations. (Sec. 103) Directs the President to establish an International Financial Institution Advisory Commission, which shall report to the appropriate congressional committees on the implications of consolidating the activities of the IMF, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank), and the World Trade Organization (WTO). (Sec. 104) Directs the President to call for a Bretton Woods Conference of representatives of the governments of the member countries of the IMF, the World Bank, and the WTO to consider the structure and activities of such institutions, their possible merger, and their capacity to contribute to exchange rate stability and economic growth, and to respond effectively to financial crises. (Sec. 105) Requires the Secretary of the Treasury, following extension of a stand-by agreement or other uses of resources by the IMF, to report to the appropriate congressional committees specified information about: (1) borrower's rules and regulations; (2) the burden shared by private sector investors and creditors, including commercial banks in the Group of Seven Nations, in the losses which have prompted the use of IMF resources; (3) IMF strategy, plan and timetable for completing the borrower's pay back of IMF resources; and (4) the status of efforts to upgrade the borrower's national standards to meet the Basle Committee's Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision. (Sec. 106) Directs the Secretary, before the release of IMF funds to a borrower country, to certify to the appropriate congressional committees that certain conditions have been met, including: (1) no IMF resources have resulted, directly or indirectly, in support of the Korean semiconductor, steel, automobile, or textile and apparel industries; (2) neither the Korean Government nor the IMF has guaranteed or underwritten the private loans of such Korean industries; and (3) IMF and Department of the Treasury officials have monitored the implementation of the Corporate Governance provisions of the Republic of Korea's stabilization program of December 4, 1997, and all of the conditions have either been met, or the Korean Government has committed itself to fulfill these conditions according to an approved timetable for completion.