July 12, 1979-Senate insisted on its amendment, agreed to a confer- July 31, 1979-Conferees met and agreed to file conference report. 7. Export Administration Act Amendments of 1979—H.R. 4034 (by The Subcommittee on International Economic Policy and Trade held thirteen days of hearings (February 15 and 22, March 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 26, 27, and 28, and April 3 and 4) on five bills (H.R. 2344, 2539, 3154, 3216, and 3301) all containing provisions to amend the Export Administration Act of 1969. On April 24, 25, and 26, the subcommittee met in markup sessions to consider the above mentioned bills, as well as H.R. 3652, the Executive branch proposal containing draft legislation to amend the Export Administration Act. The subcommittee voted to report out a clean bill to the full committee on April 26, 1979. Also during its April 26th meeting, the subcommittee considered H.R. 3653, which authorized funds for fiscal years 1980 and 1981 for the collection and analysis of foreign investment data under the International Investment Survey Act. The subcommittee reported the legislation favorably and concurred in the subcommittee chairman's proposal to include this legislation as a separate title in the bill extending the Export Administration Act of 1969. The full committee considered H.R. 3783 on May 1, 2, 3, 4, · 7, 8, and 9, 1979. On May 9th, the committee directed that a clean bill incorporating the amendments adopted by the committee be introduced. H.R. 4034, which reflected the committee's action and recommendations on all of the bills, was introduced on May 10, 1979, referred to the committee, and reported favorably to the House. The principal purpose of H.R. 4034 was to extend and authorize funds to implement the Export Administration Act of 1969, and to make reforms in the imposition and administration of export controls under that act for national security, foreign policy, and short supply purposes. H.R. 4034 extended the act for four years (through fiscal year 1983) and authorized funds totaling $14,847,000 to be appropriated for fiscal years 1980 and 1981 to carry out the act. The bill also provided for continued collection and analysis of data on foreign investment in the United States and American investment outside the United States, by authorizing funds for the International Investment Survey Act of 1976 for fiscal years 1980 and 1981. The Export Administration Act of 1969 constitutes the basic authority for controlling the export of most civilian products from the United States. (Related acts are the Arms Export Control Act, pertaining to the export of arms, ammunition, and implements of war, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978, pertaining to the export of nuclear materials and technology.) The act authorizes the President to regulate exports for the purposes of: (1) Protecting the domestic economy from the excessive drain of scarce materials and reducing the inflationary impact of foreign demands; (2) furthering the foreign policy of the United States and fulfilling its international responsibilities; and (3) exercising vigilance over exports from the standpoint of their significance to the national security of the United States. The act also states that it is the policy of the United States to oppose restrictive trade practices or boycotts fostered or imposed by foreign countries against other countries friendly to the United States or against any United States person, and prohibits any United States person from taking certain actions with the intent to comply with, further, or support such boycott. The provisions of the act pertaining to foreign boycotts were added by the Export Administration Amendments of 1977 (Public Law 95-52) and were extended without change by H.R. 4034. General debate occurred on the House floor on July 23 and consideration continued on September 11, 18, 21, and 25. Numerous amendments were adopted during floor consideration including the following: (1) an amendment striking language prohibiting the United States from imposing controls on the re-export of U.S. items from COCOM; (2) an amendment requiring the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of State to notify Congress before any export license is approved for the export of goods or technologies over $7 million to any country supporting international terrorism; (3) an amendment providing new military critical technologies language stating that export controls should be implemented for goods which would transfer military critical technologies to countries to which exports are controlled, and requiring that the initial list of military critical technologies be completed and published by October 1, 1980; (4) an amendment establishing a petition procedure to allow uses of metallic materials capable of being recycled to request hearings on the monitoring or control of exports of such materials; (5) an amendment that continues the confidentiality of export licensing information and makes information on shipper's export declarations available under the Freedom of Information Act after June 30, 1980; (6) an amendment that requires that Congress be notified and have the opportunity to review exports of refined petroleum products. H.R. 4034 was passed by the House on September 25, 1979 by voice vote. Subsequently, this passage was vacated and S. 737, a similar Senate-passed bill, was passed in lieu after being amended to contain the language of the House bill as passed. The House insisted on its amendments, requested a conference with the Senate, and appointed as conferees: Representatives Zablocki, Fascell, Bingham, Bonker, Pease, Barnes, Wolpe, Fithian, Broomfield, Lagomarsino, Findley, and Gilman. On the 26th of September the Senate disagreed to the House amendments, agreed to a conference with the House, and appointed as conferees: Senator Proxmire, Stevens, Williams, Tsongas, Garn, Heinz, and Kassebaum. The conferees met on September 26, 1979 and on the 27th filed the conference report in the House. The authorization figures authorized by the conference committee were $8 million for fiscal years 1980 and 1981 and $4.4 million for fiscal year 1980 and $4.5 million for fiscal year 1981 for the International Investment Survey Act. The Senate agreed to the conference report by voice vote on September 27, 1979 and the House by a vote of 321 yeas to 19 nays on September 28. The Export Administration Act Amendments of 1979 became Public Law 96-72 on September 29, 1979 upon Presidential signature. Legislative history Apr. 23, 1979-H.R. 3652 referred to Subcommittee on International Apr. 24, 25, 26, 1979 Considered in open markup session by subcom- Apr. 26, 1979-Subcommittee agreed upon introduction of clean bill for full committee action. May 1, 2, 1979-H.R. 3783 considered in open session by full committee. May 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 1979-Considered in open markup session by full committee and amended. May 9, 1979 Committee agreed upon introduction of clean bill. May 10, 1979-H.R. 4034 considered in open session by full committee and ordered favorably reported by voice vote. May 11, 1979-Rule requested. May 15, 1979-Reported. House Report 96-200. May 15, 1979-S. 737 reported in Senate by Senate Committee on Bank- May 22, 23, 1979-H.R. 4034. Hearings on request for rule. Rule granted. May 31, 1979-House agreed to H. Res. 286, providing for the consider- July 18, 20, 1979-S. 737 considered by Senate and amended. July 21, 1979-Passed Senate, amended, by a vote of 74 yeas to 3 nays. Sept. 11, 18, 21, 25, 1979-Considered in House and amended. Sept. 26, 1979-Conferees met and agreed to file conference report. Sept 28, 1979-House agreed to conference report by a vote of 321 yeas Sept. 29, 1979-Approved. Public Law 96-72. 8. Authorizing Additional Appropriations for Migration and Refugee Assistance-H.R. 4955 (by Mr. Fascell, for himself, and Representatives Zablocki, Buchanan, Rosenthal, Wolff, Solarz, Bonker, Studds, Ireland, Barnes, Wolpe, Broomfield, Derwinski, Winn, Gilman, Pritchard, and Fenwick) On July 25, 1979 the Speaker of the House of Representatives referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs executive communication 2123 which contained a draft bill to authorize additional appropriations for the Department of State for Migration and Refugee Assistance for fiscal years 1980 and 1981. Subsequently, this communication was referred to the Subcommittee on International Operations. The subcommittee held a hearing and an open markup session on July 25, 1979 ordering reported to the full committee a draft bill, H.R. 4955. On July 27, 1979, the full committee held an open markup session on the bill and on the same day, ordered the bill favorably reported by voice vote. The purpose of H.R. 4955 was to authorize additional appropriations for fiscal years 1980 and 1981 in the amount of $207,290,000 and $203,610,000 respectively for the Department of State for the Migration and Refugee Assistance account to meet new emergency requirements for refugees in Southeast Asia. These amounts are in addition to the figures already authorized in H.R. 3363, the Department of State authorization for fiscal years 1980 and 1981. General debate occurred on the House floor on October 22, 1979, and the measure passed the House on October 25, 1979, with an amendment, by a vote of 301 yeas to 69 nays. The amendment agreed to on the House floor incorporated the language of H.R. 5689 into H.R. 4955. H.R. 5689, which was approved by the committee on October 24th, authorized $30 million for fiscal year 1980 for assistance to alleviate the human suffering and starvation among the victims of the Cambodian famine. This authorization was incorporated into H.R. 4955 in order to expedite the passage of the measure. On November 2, 1979, the Senate considered H.R. 4955 and passed it by voice vote, after amending it to contain the language of the Senate companion bill, S. 1668, which had been considered earlier on the Senate floor. The Senate amendment provided an additional $30 million for Cambodian relief to be reprogramed from existing funds. Additionally, the Senate amendment extended the authority until September 30, 1981 on reimbursement in the Indochina program for State and local governments until such time as a new Refugee Act would be passed. The House agreed to the Senate amendment, with a technical amendment, on November 9, 1979 by unanimous voice vote. On that same day, the Senate agreed to the technical House amendment by voice vote. The measure became Public Law 96-110 on November 13, 1979 upon Presidential approval. Legislative history July 25, 1979-Considered in open session by Subcommittee on International Operations, and approved for full committee action, prior to introduction. July 27, 1979 Considered in open markup session by full committee, and ordered favorably reported by unanimous voice vote. July 27, 1979-Rule requested. July 27, 1979-Reported. House Report 96-398. Sept. 20, 1979-Hearing on request for rule. Rule granted. H. Res. 418. Oct. 19, 1979-House agreed to H. Res. 418, the rule providing for the Oct. 22, 1979 General debate in House. Oct. 25, 1979-Passed House, with amendment incorporating language of H.R. 5689, by a vote of 301 yeas to 69 nays. Agreed to amend the title. Nov. 2, 1979-Passed Senate by voice vote, after being amended to contain the language of the Senate companion bill, S. 1668, which had been considered earlier and amended. Nov. 9, 1979-House agreed to the Senate amendment with an amendment, by unanimous vote. Nov. 9, 1979-Senate agreed to the House amendment to the Senate amendment, by voice vote. Nov. 13, 1979-Approved. Public Law 96-110. 9. The Panama Canal Act of 1979-H.R. 111 (by Mr. Murphy of New York, for himself, and Representatives de la Garza, Hubbard, and Bauman) Legislation to implement the Panama Canal Treaties of 1977 was transmitted to Congress by the President, and then introduced at his request. The request bill, H.R. 1716, was divided according to jurisdiction and then referred to four House committees Foreign Affairs, Merchant Marine and Fisheries, Post Office and Civil Service, and Judiciary. Another version of the implementing legislation, H.R. 111, was introduced by the Honorable John M. Murphy, Chairman of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, and referred in its entirety to the aforementioned committees. Each of the committees reported relevant portions of the Administration request bill. The Rules Committee granted a rule to H.R. 111 (which was reported only by the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee) and it was decided that each of the other committees would offer as amendments to H.R. 111, those reported provisions of H.R. 1716 which were within their jurisdictions. The Foreign Affairs Committee conducted two days of hearings and markup on the implementing legislation. Previously, in 1977, the committee held extensive oversight hearings on the Treaties themselves shortly after they were signed. The purpose of the legislation was to implement the Panama Canal Treaty and the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Canal which were signed by the leaders of the United States and Panama on September 7, 1977, and subsequently ratified by the Senate. The legislation protects the rights and privileges granted to the United States under the Treaties. The United States will continue to operate and defend the Canal, with Panama as a junior partner, until the year 2000. At that time, the full operational authority and the Canal itself will be turned over to the Republic of Panama. The United States, under the Neutrality Treaty, shall have the permanent right to defend the Panama Canal after the year 2000. The primary issues referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs were "Defense of the Canal," "Authority of the Ambassador," "Consultative Committee," "Joint Commission on the Environment," "Privileges and Immunities," and the "Disinterment, Transportation and Reinterment of Remains" of United States citizens. Of concern to the Committee on Foreign Affairs was that no violations or apparent inconsistencies with the Treaty be enacted in the implementing legislation, and that a bill be passed which would safeguard United States security interests. Key features of the bill included the following: (1) establishment of the Panama Canal Commission as a United States Government agency subject to the annual authorization and appropriation process; (2) limiting the appropriation expenditures to the estimated revenues of the Canal operation; (3) enabled the Secretary of Defense to instruct bloc voting by the American members of the Panama Canal Commission Board. which have a permanent five-to-four majority under the Treaty |