TITLE 22 - US CODE - SUBCHAPTER II - BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT

22 USC 5821 - American Business Centers

(a) Establishment
The President is authorized and encouraged to establish American Business Centers in the independent states of the former Soviet Union receiving assistance under chapter 11 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [22 U.S.C. 2295 et seq.] where the President determines that such centers can be cost-effective in promoting the objectives described in section 498 of that Act [22 U.S.C. 2295] and United States economic interests and in establishing commercial partnerships between the people of the United States and the peoples of the independent states.

(b) Environmental business centers and agribusiness centers
For purposes of this section, the term American Business Centers includes the following:

(1) Environmental business centers in those independent states that offer promising market possibilities for the export of United States environmental goods and services. To the maximum extent practicable, these environmental business centers should be established as a component of other centers.

(2) Agribusiness centers that include the participation of private United States agribusinesses or agricultural cooperatives, private nonprofit">nonprofit organizations, State universities and land grant colleges, and financial institutions, that make appropriate contributions of equipment, materials, and personnel for the operation of such centers. The purposes of these agribusiness centers shall be

(A) to enhance the ability of farmers and other agribusiness practitioners in the independent states to better meet the needs of the people of the independent states;

(B) to assist the transition from a command and control system in agriculture to a free market system; and

(c) Additional policy guidance
To the maximum extent possible, and consistent with the particular purposes of the specific types of centers, the President should direct that

(1) the American Business Centers established pursuant to this section place special emphasis on assistance to United States small- and medium-sized businesses to facilitate their entry into the commercial markets of the independent states;

(2) such centers offer office space, business facilities, and market analysis services to United States firms, trade associations, and State economic development offices on a user-fee basis that minimizes the cost of operating such centers;

(3) such centers serve as a repository for commercial, legal, and technical information, including environmental and export control information;

(4) such centers identify existing or potential counterpart businesses or organizations that may require specific technical coordination or assistance;

(5) such centers be established in several sites in the independent states; and

(6) host countries be asked to make appropriate contributions of real estate and personnel for the establishment and operation of such centers.

(d) Funding

(1) Reimbursement agreement
Not later than 90 days after October 24, 1992, the Administrator of the Agency for International Development shall conclude a reimbursement agreement with the Secretary of Commerce for the Department of Commerces services in establishing and operating American Business Centers pursuant to this section.

(2) Authorization of appropriations
Of the amount authorized to be appropriated to carry out chapter 11 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [22 U.S.C. 2295 et seq.], up to $12,000,000 for fiscal year 1993 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, in addition to amounts otherwise available for such purpose.

22 USC 5822 - Business and Agriculture Advisory Council

(a) Establishment
The President is authorized to establish an advisory council to be known as the Independent States Business and Agriculture Advisory Council (hereinafter in this section referred to as the Council)

(1) to consult with and advise the President periodically regarding programs of assistance for the independent states of the former Soviet Union; and

(2) to evaluate, and consult periodically with the President regarding, the adequacy of bilateral and multilateral assistance programs that would facilitate exports by United States companies to, and investments by United States companies in, the independent states.

(b) Membership
The Council should consist of 15 members, appointed by the President, who are drawn from United States companies reflecting diverse businesses and perspectives that have experience and expertise in dealing with the independent states of the former Soviet Union. The President should designate one such member to serve as Chair of the Council. Five such members should be appointed upon the recommendation of the Speaker and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and 5 should be appointed upon the recommendation of the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the Senate. Members of the Council shall receive no compensation from the United States Government by reason of their service on the Council.

(c) Staff
Upon request of the Chair of the Council, the head of any United States Government agency may detail, on a nonreimbursable basis, any of the personnel of such agency to the Council to assist the Council.

22 USC 5823 - Funding for export promotion activities and capital projects

(a) Allocation of A.I.D. funds
The President is encouraged to use a portion of the funds made available for the independent states of the former Soviet Union under chapter 11 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [22 U.S.C. 2295 et seq.]

(1) to fund the export promotion, finance, and related activities carried out pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of this section, including activities relating to the export of intermediary goods; and

(2) to fund capital projects, including projects for telecommunications, environmental cleanup, power production, and energy related projects.

(b) Export promotion, finance, and related activities
The Secretary of Commerce, as Chair of the Trade Promotion Coordination Committee, should, in conjunction with other members of that committee, design and implement programs to provide adequate commercial and technical assistance to United States businesses seeking markets in the independent states of the former Soviet Union, including the following:

(1) Increasing the United States and Foreign Commercial Service presence in the independent states, in particular in the Russian Far Eastern cities of Vladivostok and Khabarovsk.

(2) Preparing profiles of export opportunities for United States businesses in the independent states and providing other technical assistance.

(3) Utilizing the Market Development Cooperator Program under section 4723 of title 15.

(4) Developing programs specifically for the purpose of assisting small- and medium-sized businesses in entering commercial markets of the independent states. In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary of Commerce, to the extent possible, should work directly with private sector organizations with proven experience in trade and economic relations with the independent states.

(5) Supporting projects undertaken by the United States business community on the basis of partnership, joint venture, contractual, or other cooperative agreements with appropriate entities in the independent states.

(6) Supporting export finance programs, feasibility studies, political risk insurance, and other related programs through increased funding and flexibility in the implementation of such programs.

(7) Supporting the Business Information Service (BISNIS) and its related programs.

22 USC 5824 - Interagency working group on energy of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee

The Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee should utilize its interagency working group on energy to assist United States energy sector companies to develop a long-term strategy for penetrating the energy market in the independent states of the former Soviet Union. The working group should

(1) work with officials from the independent states in creating an environment conducive to United States energy investment;

(2) help to coordinate assistance to United States companies involved with projects to clean up former Soviet nuclear weapons sites and commercial nuclear waste; and

(3) work with representatives from United States business and industry involved with the energy sector to help facilitate the identification of business opportunities, including the promotion of oil, gas, and clean coal technology and products, energy efficiency, and the formation of joint ventures between United States companies and companies of the independent nations.

22 USC 5825 - Repealed. Pub. L. 10466, title I, 1021(e), Dec. 21, 1995, 109 Stat. 713

Section, Pub. L. 102–511, title III, § 305, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3335, directed Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress annual reports describing implementation of business and commercial development provisions, analyzing programs of other industrialized countries, and examining trade practices of other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development nations.

22 USC 5826 - Policy on combatting tied aid practices

Should the Secretary of the Treasury determine that foreign countries are engaged in tied aid practices with respect to any of the independent states of the former Soviet Union that violate the 1991 Helsinki agreement of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the President should give priority attention to combatting such practices.

22 USC 5827 - Technical assistance for Russian Far East

(a) Authorization
The President is authorized to provide technical assistance, through an American university in a region which received nonstop air service to and from the Russian Far East as of July 1, 1992, to facilitate the development of United States business opportunities, free markets, and democratic institutions in the Russian Far East.

(b) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 to carry out subsection (a) of this section.

22 USC 5828 - Funding for OPIC programs

(a) Authority to make additional funds available
Funds authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 1993 to carry out chapter 11 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [22 U.S.C. 2295 et seq.] may be made available to cover costs incurred by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation in carrying out programs with respect to the independent states of the former Soviet Union under title IV of chapter 2 of part I of that Act (22 U.S.C. 2191 and following), in addition to amounts otherwise available for that purpose.

(b) Enactment of OPIC Authorization Act
The authority of subsection (a) of this section shall cease to be effective upon the enactment of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation Act Amendments Act of 1992.