FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Contact: (202) 225-1721
June 9, 1998
No. TR-27
Congressman Philip M. Crane (R-IL), Chairman, Subcommittee on Trade of the Committee on Ways and Means, today announced that the Subcommittee will hold a hearing on U.S.-Vietnam trade relations, including the President's renewal of Vietnam's waiver under the Jackson-Vanik amendment to the Trade Act of 1974. The hearing will take place on Thursday, June 18, 1998, in room B-318 Rayburn House Office Building, beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Oral testimony at this hearing will be from both invited and public witnesses. Also, any individual or organization not scheduled for an oral appearance may submit a written statement for consideration by the Committee or for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing.
BACKGROUND:
Vietnam's trade status is subject to the Jackson-Vanik amendment to Title IV of the Trade Act of 1974. This provision of law governs the extension of most-favored-nation (MFN), or normal, tariff treatment, as well as access to U.S. government credits, or credit or investment guarantees, to nonmarket economy countries ineligible for MFN treatment as of the enactment of the Trade Act. A country subject to the provision may gain MFN treatment and coverage by U.S. trade financing programs only by complying with the freedom of emigration provisions under the Act. The extension of MFN tariff treatment also requires the conclusion and approval by Congress of a bilateral commercial agreement with the United States providing for reciprocal nondiscriminatory treatment. The Act authorizes the President to waive the requirements for full compliance with respect to a particular country if he determines that such a waiver will substantially promote the freedom of emigration provisions, and if he has received assurances that the emigration practices of the country will lead substantially to the achievement of those objectives.
Since the early 1990s, the United States has taken gradual steps to improve relations with Vietnam. In February 1994, President Clinton lifted the trade embargo on Vietnam in recognition of the progress made in POW/MIA accounting and the successful implementation of the Paris Peace Accords. The United States opened a Liaison Office in Hanoi later that year. On July 11, 1995, President Clinton announced the establishment of diplomatic relations, which was followed by the appointment of former Congressman Pete Peterson as U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam.
On March 9, 1998, the President issued a waiver from the Jackson-Vanik freedom of emigration requirements for Vietnam. Because Vietnam has not yet concluded a bilateral commercial agreement with the United States, it is ineligible to receive MFN tariff treatment. The President's waiver for Vietnam, however, gives that country access to U.S. government credits, or credit or investment guarantees, such as those provided by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Export-Import Bank. The President's waiver expires on July 3, 1998. The renewal procedure under the Trade Act requires the President to submit to Congress a recommendation for a 12-month extension no later than 30 days prior to the waiver's expiration (i.e., by not later than June 3). On June 3, 1998, the President issued his determination to waive the requirements for Vietnam for the period of July 3, 1998, to July 2, 1999.
The waiver authority continues in effect unless disapproved by Congress within 60 calendar days after the expiration of the existing waiver. Disapproval, should it occur, would take the form of a joint resolution disapproving of the President's waiver determination. On June 5, 1998, H.J. Res. 120 was introduced, disapproving of the President's waiver determination for Vietnam.
FOCUS OF THE HEARING:
The focus of the hearing will be to evaluate overall U.S. trade relations with Vietnam and to consider the President's renewal of Vietnam's waiver under the Jackson-Vanik amendment to the Trade Act of 1974. The Subcommittee is interested in hearing testimony about Vietnam's
emigration policies and practices, on the nature and extent of U.S. trade and investment ties with Vietnam and related issues, and on the potential impact on Vietnam and the United States of a termination of Vietnam's waiver. Finally, witnesses may also address U.S. objectives in the ongoing negotiations with Vietnam to conclude a bilateral commercial agreement.
DETAILS FOR SUBMISSIONS OF REQUESTS TO BE HEARD:
Requests to be heard at the hearing must be made by telephone to Traci Altman or Bradley Schreiber at (202) 225-1721 no later than the close of business, Friday, June 12, 1998. The telephone request should be followed by a formal written request to A.L. Singleton, Chief of Staff, Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, 1102 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515. The staff of the Subcommittee on Trade will notify by telephone those scheduled to appear as soon as possible after the filing deadline. Any questions concerning a scheduled appearance should be directed to the Subcommittee on Trade staff at (202) 225-6649.
In view of the limited time available to hear witnesses, the Subcommittee may not be able to accommodate all requests to be heard. Those persons and organizations not scheduled for an oral appearance are encouraged to submit written statements for the record of the hearing. All persons requesting to be heard, whether they are scheduled for oral testimony or not, will be notified as soon as possible after the filing deadline.
Witnesses scheduled to present oral testimony are required to summarize briefly their written statements in no more than five minutes. THE FIVE-MINUTE RULE WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED. The full written statement of each witness will be included in the printed record, in accordance with House Rules.
In order to assure the most productive use of the limited amount of time available to question witnesses, all witnesses scheduled to appear before the Subcommittee are required to submit 200 copies, along with an IBM compatible 3.5-inch diskette in WordPerfect 5.1 format, of their prepared statement for review by Members prior to the hearing. Testimony should arrive at the Subcommittee on Trade office, room 1104 Longworth House Office Building, no later than Tuesday, June 16, 1998. Failure to do so may result in the witness being denied the opportunity to testify in person.
WRITTEN STATEMENTS IN LIEU OF PERSONAL APPEARANCE:
Any person or organization wishing to submit a written statement for the printed record of the hearing should submit six (6) single-spaced copies of their statement, along with an IBM compatible 3.5-inch diskette in WordPerfect 5.1 format, with their name, address, and hearing date noted on a label, by the close of business, Tuesday, June 23, 1998, to A.L. Singleton, Chief of Staff, Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, 1102 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515. If those filing written statements wish to have their statements distributed to the press and interested public at the hearing, they may deliver 200 additional copies for this purpose to the Subcommittee on Trade office, room 1104 Longworth House Office Building, at least one hour before the hearing begins.
FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS:
Each statement presented for printing to the Committee by a witness, any written statement or exhibit submitted for the printed record or any written comments in response to a request for written comments must conform to the guidelines listed below. Any statement or exhibit not in compliance with these guidelines will not be printed, but will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.
1. All statements and any accompanying exhibits for printing must be submitted on an IBM compatible 3.5-inch diskette in WordPerfect 5.1 format, typed in single space and may not exceed a total of 10 pages including attachments. Witnesses are advised that the Committee will rely on electronic submissions for printing the official hearing record.
2. Copies of whole documents submitted as exhibit material will not be accepted for printing. Instead, exhibit material should be referenced and quoted or paraphrased. All exhibit material not meeting these specifications will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.
3. A witness appearing at a public hearing, or submitting a statement for the record of a public hearing, or submitting written comments in response to a published request for comments by the Committee, must include on his statement or submission a list of all clients, persons, or organizations on whose behalf the witness appears.
4. A supplemental sheet must accompany each statement listing the name, company, address, telephone and fax numbers where the witness or the designated representative may be reached. This supplemental sheet will not be included in the printed record.
The above restrictions and limitations apply only to material being submitted for printing. Statements and exhibits or supplementary material submitted solely for distribution to the Members, the press, and the public during the course of a public hearing may be submitted in other forms.
The
Committee seeks to make its facilities accessible to persons with
disabilities. If you are in need of special accommodations, please
call 202-225-1721 or 202-226-3411 TTD/TTY in advance of the event
(four business days notice is requested). Questions with regard to
special accommodation needs in general (including availability of
Committee materials in alternative formats) may be directed to the
Committee as noted above.