Freedom Trade Act - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to deny nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) from the products of a foreign country that: (1) engages in violations of religious freedom, (2) restricts the freedom of workers to associate and to organize and bargain collectively, or (3) prohibits or limits the functioning of free and independent labor unions.
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 554 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 554
To withdraw normal trade relations treatment from the products of
foreign countries that do not maintain acceptable standards of
religious freedom and worker rights.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 8, 2011
Mr. McCotter introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To withdraw normal trade relations treatment from the products of
foreign countries that do not maintain acceptable standards of
religious freedom and worker rights.
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 ``Freedom Trade Act''.
SEC. 2. WITHDRAWAL OF NORMAL TRADE RELATIONS TREATMENT FROM PRODUCTS OF
FOREIGN COUNTRIES THAT DO NOT MAINTAIN ACCEPTABLE
STANDARDS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND WORKER RIGHTS.
Title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``CHAPTER 3--ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON TRADE RELATIONS WITH FOREIGN
COUNTRIES
``SEC. 441. WITHDRAWAL OF NORMAL TRADE RELATIONS TREATMENT.
``Effective on and after the end of the 6-month period beginning on
the date of the enactment of this chapter, and subject to the other
provisions of this chapter--
``(1) normal trade relations treatment shall not apply to
the products of a foreign country with respect to which a
certification described in section 442 is not in effect; and
``(2) the column 2 rate of duty in the Harmonized Tariff
Schedule of the United States shall apply to the products of
such a foreign country.
``SEC. 442. CERTIFICATION.
``(a) Initial Certification.--A certification described in section
441 is a certification that meets the following requirements:
``(1) The United States Commission on International
Religious Freedom and the Secretary of State certify to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate that the
foreign country is not engaging in violations of religious
freedom, as defined in section 3 of the International Religious
Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6402).
``(2) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Labor
certify to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate that the foreign country is not restricting the freedom
of workers to associate and the right of workers to organize
and bargain collectively.
``(3) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Labor
certify to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate that the foreign country does not prohibit or limit the
functioning of free and independent labor unions.
``(b) Recertifications.--Not later than 12 months after the date on
which an initial certification is made under subsection (a) with
respect to a foreign country and every 12 months thereafter--
``(1) the United States Commission on International
Religious Freedom, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of
Labor (as the case may be) shall transmit to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a recertification
that the conditions described in subsection (a) are continuing
to be met with respect to the foreign country; or
``(2) if the United States Commission on International
Religious Freedom, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of
Labor (as the case may be) is unable to make such a
recertification with respect to the foreign country, the United
States Commission on International Religious Freedom, the
Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Labor shall transmit
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate a report that contains the reasons therefor.
``(c) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
``(1) the right of workers to organize includes the right--
``(A) to establish and join organizations of
workers of their own choosing without previous
authorization, to write the constitutions and rules to
govern those organizations, to elect or select the
leadership of those organizations, and to determine the
agendas and programs of those organizations;
``(B) to join confederations of organizations of
workers, and affiliate with international organizations
of workers; and
``(C) to be protected against dissolution or
suspension of such organizations, confederations, or
affiliations by any governmental authority; and
``(2)(A) the term `free and independent labor union' means
a labor union that operates independently of any governmental
authority or ruling party, is not required to join or be
affiliated with a specific political party, and is allowed to
strike (subject to an exception for employees providing
essential services and a temporary exception during instances
of acute national emergency);
``(B) the term `acute national emergency' means a crisis in
which the normal conditions for the functioning of society are
absent, such as in the case of a serious conflict,
insurrection, or natural disaster; and
``(C) the term `essential services' means those services
that, if interrupted, would endanger the life, personal safety,
or health of the whole or part of the population.
``SEC. 443. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAW.
``The prohibitions in section 441 apply to a foreign country in
addition to any other provision of law that otherwise operates as a
prohibition or limitation on trade relations with the foreign
country.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
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