*EPF505 04/27/01
Text: Lawmaker Calls for President to Discuss Free Trade Area
(H.R. 1566 urges talks with Australia, New Zealand, Singapore) (330)

The chairman of the House International Relations Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific introduced legislation April 24 that calls on the U.S. president to initiate talks with Australia, New Zealand and Singapore to determine the feasibility of creating a free trade zone.

Representative James Leach (Republican of Iowa) introduced H.R. 1566 to the House of Representatives April 24.

The proposed legislation was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.

Following is the text of H.R. 1566 from the April 24 Congressional Record:

(begin text)

107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1566

To urge the President to initiate consultations with the Governments of Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand to determine the feasibility and desirability of negotiations to create a free trade area between the United States and those countries.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 24, 2001

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

A BILL

To urge the President to initiate consultations with the Governments of Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand to determine the feasibility and desirability of negotiations to create a free trade area between the United States and those countries.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CONSULTATIONS REGARDING A UNITED STATES, SINGAPORE, AUSTRALIA, AND NEW ZEALAND FREE TRADE AREA.

The President is urged to initiate consultations with the Governments of Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand to determine the feasibility and desirability of negotiations with such Governments for the purpose of entering into a reciprocal and mutually advantageous trade agreement creating a free trade area between the United States and those 3 countries.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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