H.R. 2267 · 108th Congress
Middle East Trade and Engagement Act of 2003
Key: what the circles and colors mean
Each circle is a bill. The ring fills as it moves through Congress:
Under the number: the Yea · Nay count of its final (or latest) recorded vote. On a member's page, the small badge is how that member voted: Y Yea / Aye, N Nay / No, P Present, – Not voting.
Gold and violet are only for Yea and Nay; they never mean a party. A member's party is the letter on their photo.
Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 108th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
D
SmithSponsor1 cosponsor · 1 D
1 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
Middle East Trade and Engagement Act of 2003 - Authorizes the President to designate any of 18 specified Middle Eastern countries as a beneficiary country if the country meets specified requirements, which focus on economic policy, the rule of law, political freedom, alignment with U.S.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · May 22, 2003
Middle East Trade and Engagement Act of 2003 - Authorizes the President to designate any of 18 specified Middle Eastern countries as a beneficiary country if the country meets specified requirements, which focus on economic policy, the rule of law, political freedom, alignment with U.S. trade and foreign policy interests, the promotion of human rights, and combating terrorism. Authorizes the President to designate the Palestinian Authority as a beneficiary country if it satisfies specified requirements, including cooperation in anti-terrorism efforts and the acceptance of Israel's right to exist.
Authorizes the President to designate articles from all beneficiary countries, including Israel and Jordan, as eligible for duty-free treatment, subject to rules of origin requirements and certain restrictions under existing law.
Requires the President to establish a United States-Middle East Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum.
Declares that bilateral free trade agreements should be negotiated with interested countries or political entities in the greater Middle East. Requires any country or political entity that desires to negotiate such an agreement with the United States to be a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) or working toward WTO membership and to satisfy the criteria for designation as a beneficiary country. Directs the President to develop a plan for negotiating and entering into trade agreements with interested beneficiary countries.
Terminates the preferential treatment extended to beneficiary countries under this Act on December 31, 2011.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Middle East Trade and Engagement Act of 2003
Latest action (Jun 5, 2003): Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
Policy area: International Affairs · Origin: House · Introduced: May 22, 2003
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.