ACTION
FROM THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS

Thomas Announces Committee Action on H.R. 4842, the “United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act”

Congressman Bill Thomas (R-CA), Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, today announced that on Tuesday, July 20, 2004, the Committee ordered favorably reported

H.R. 4842, the “United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act,” by a recorded vote of 26-0, without amendment. 

DESCRIPTION OF H.R. 4842 AS APPROVED:

• Title I would provide the general congressional approval of the Agreement and procedures for the President to follow in order to execute his authority to implement the Agreement, such as consultation with Congress, layover, and advice from advisory committees.

• Title II would provide authority for the President to proclaim tariff modifications to carry out the Agreement and sets out the rules of origin for goods to qualify for preferential treatment.  In particular, the Agreement would require a “yarn forward” rule of origin for most textile and apparel goods. 

• The Agreement would permit the United States to impose an agricultural safeguard measure, in the form of additional duties, on certain horticultural goods from Morocco. 

• Other provisions in the bill would provide enforcement authority to prevent circumvention of textile or apparel requirements.

• Title III would provide a temporary mechanism to impose import relief when increased quantities of Moroccan imports are a substantial cause of serious injury or threat of serious injury to the domestic industry.  Another provision would provide a special safeguard relief procedure for textile and apparel imports. 

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