VOTE Act

Vote On Trade Every time Act or VOTE Act - Prohibits the President from entering into a trade agreement with one or more foreign countries unless U.S. electors authorize the President to take such action.

Requires the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to hold a series of public hearings throughout the United States to receive input on the effects of the trade agreement on U.S. economic growth and employment before the President enters into negotiations to enter into a trade agreement with such countries.

[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6259 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6259

    To require approval to enter into trade agreements with foreign 
                   countries, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 29, 2010

  Mr. Space introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To require approval to enter into trade agreements with foreign 
                   countries, 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 ``Vote On Trade Every time Act'' or 
``VOTE Act''.

SEC. 2. APPROVAL TO ENTER INTO TRADE AGREEMENTS.

    (a) Approval.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
President may not enter into a trade agreement with one or more foreign 
countries unless the electors of the United States authorize the 
President to take such action. The President, in consultation with 
State election officials, shall promulgate such regulations as may be 
necessary to carry out the previous sentence.
    (b) Public Hearings.--
            (1) In general.--Before entering into negotiations to enter 
        into a trade agreement with one or more foreign countries, the 
        United States Trade Representative shall hold a series of 
        public hearings throughout the United States to receive input 
        on the effects of the trade agreement on economic growth and 
        employment in the United States.
            (2) Location of hearings.--The public hearings required 
        under paragraph (1) should be held in areas of the United 
        States that have been, are, or may be adversely affected by 
        trade agreements with foreign countries, as determined by the 
        Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    (c) Definition.--In this section, the term ``trade agreement'' 
means any bilateral, regional, or multilateral free trade agreement.
    (d) Effective Date.--This Act shall take effect on the date of the 
enactment of this Act and shall apply with respect to entering into a 
trade agreement with one or more foreign countries on or after the date 
of the enactment of this Act.
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