[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 42 (Thursday, March 4, 1999)] [Notices] [Pages 10448-10449] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-5305] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Industry Sector and Functional Advisory Committees for Trade Policy Matters; Request for Nominations
Agency
International Trade Administration, Trade Development.
Action
Request for nominations.
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Summary
The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) are seeking nominations for appointment to each of the Industry Sector and Functional Advisory Committees on Trade Policy Matters. Nominations will be accepted for current vacancies and those that occur throughout the remainder of the charter term, which expires March 19, 2000. In order to qualify for representation on an Industry Sector or Functional Advisory Committee (ISAC/IFAC), nominees must be U.S. citizens representing U.S. manufacturing and service firms that trade internationally or an industry association whose members are primarily U.S. owned and are involved in international trade. Priority will be given to manufacturing establishments and firms that are outside of the Washington, D.C. area. U.S.-based subsidiaries of foreign companies, non-government organizations, and academic institutions do not quality for representation on a committee. Recruitment: Vacancies occur throughout the charter period and new appointments are made on a rolling basis. Nominations for the current charter period will be accepted at any time up to March 2000. Recruitment information is available on the International Trade Administration website at www.ita.doc.gov/icp. Further inquiries may be directed to Tamara Underwood, Acting Director, Industries Consultations Program, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Room 2015-B, Washington, D.C. 20230.
Supplementary Information
Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. appendix 2), the Secretary of Commerce (the Secretary) and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) have renewed the Charters of seventeen ISACs and three IFACs. The Secretary and USTR welcome nominations for the Industry Sector Advisory Committees for Trade Policy Matters (ISACs) and the Industry Functional Advisory Committees for Trade Policy Matters (IFACs) listed below: • Industry Sector Advisory Committees for Trade Policy Matters (ISAC) on:
Aerospace Equipment (ISAC 1); Capital Goods (ISAC 2); Chemicals and Allied Products (ISAC 3); Consumer Goods (ISAC 4); Electronics and Instrumentation (ISAC 5); Energy (ISAC 6); Ferrous Ores and Metals (ISAC 7); Footwear, Leather, and Leather Products (ISAC 8); Building Products and Other Materials (ISAC 9); Lumber and Wood Products (ISAC 10); Nonferrous Ores and Metals (ISAC 11); Paper and Paper Products (ISAC 12); Services (ISAC 13); Small and Minority Business (ISAC 14); Textiles and Apparel (ISAC 15); Transportation, Construction, Mining, and Agricultural Equipment (ISAC 16); Wholesaling and Retailing (ISAC 17); and • Industry Functional Advisory Committees on Trade Policy Matters on:
Customs (IFAC 1); Standards (IFAC 2); Intellectual Property Rights (IFAC 3).
Background
In section 135 of the Trade Act of 1974 (1974 Trade Act), 19 U.S.C. 2155), as amended, Congress established a private-sector advisory system to ensure that U.S. trade policy and trade negotiation objectives adequately reflect U.S. commercial and economic interests. Section 135 directs the President to
``seek information and advice from representative elements of the private sector and the non-Federal governmental sector with respect to-- (A) negotiating objectives and bargaining positions before entering into a trade agreement under [title I of the 1974 Trade Act and section 1102 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988]; (B) the operation of any trade agreement once entered into; including preparation for dispute settlement panel proceedings to which the United States is a party; and (C) other matters arising in connection with the development, implementation, and administration of the trade policy of the United States. * * *''
The Secretary of Commerce and the USTR co-chair the seventeen ISACs and three IFACs.
Functions
The duties of the ISACs and IFACs are to provide the President with advice on objectives and bargaining positions for multilateral trade negotiations, bilateral trade negotiations, and other trade related matters. The committees provide bipartisan, industry input in the development of trade policy objectives. The committees' efforts result in strengthening the U.S. negotiating position by enabling the United States to display a united front when it negotiates trade agreements with other nations. The ISACs provide advice and information on issues that affect specific sectors of U.S. industry. The ISACs address market-access problems; barriers to trade; tariff levels; discriminatory foreign procurement practices; information, marketing, and advocacy needs of their sector; and other important trade issues. The IFACs focus on cross-cutting issues that affect all industry sectors, such as customs matters, product standards, and intellectual property rights. Other functional issues, such as government procurement and subsidies, are handled in ad hoc meetings. Each ISAC may also select a member to serve
on each IFAC so that a broad range of industry perspectives are represented. Committees meet an average of four times a year in Washington, D.C. Members are responsible for all travel expenses incurred to attend the meetings.
Membership
ISAC and IFAC members are appointed jointly by the Secretary of Commerce and the USTR. Appointments are made at the rechartering of each committee and periodically throughout the two-year charter period. Members serve at the discretion of the Secretary and USTR. Appointments to an ISAC/IFAC expire at the end of the committee's charter. However, members may be reappointed for one or more additional terms should the committee's charter be renewed and if the member proves to work effectively with the committee and his/her expertise is still needed. Each committee is made up of approximately 30-50 members, based on the Committee charter. Each committee selects a chairperson from the membership of the committee.
Qualifications
For all committees, the Secretary and USTR invite nominations of U.S. citizens who are executives and managers of U.S. manufacturing or service companies that trade internationally. The Secretary and USTR also invite nominations of executives representing trade associations whose members are U.S. companies that trade internationally. Companies must be at least 51 percent beneficially-owned by U.S. persons. U.S.- based subsidiaries of foreign companies do not qualify for representation on the committees. Nominees are considered based upon their ability to carry out the goals of section 135 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended. Secondary criteria are ensuring that the committee is balanced in terms of points of view, demographies, geography and company size.
Application Procedures
Requests for applications should be sent to the Director of the Industry Consultations Program, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Room 2015-B, Washington, D.C. 20230. This notice is issued under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C., app. 2) and 21 CFR part 14 relating to advisory committees.
Dated: February 23, 1999. Michael J. Copps, Assistant Secretary for Trade Development. [FR Doc. 99-5305 Filed 3-3-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-DR-U