PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS TO EMERGING DEMOCRACIES.

SEC. 1542. PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS TO EMERGING DEMOCRACIES. (a) Guarantees To Be Made Available.— The Commodity Credit Corporation, for the fiscal years 1991 through 1995 shall make available not less than $1,000,000,000 of export credit guarantees for exports to emerging democracies under section 202 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, in addition to the amounts required under section 211 of that Act for such program. (b) Improvement of Facilities.— A portion of such export credit guarantees shall be made available for the establishment or improvement by United States persons of facilities in emerging democracies to improve handling, marketing, processing, storage, or distribution of imported agricultural commodities and products thereof if the Secretary of Agriculture determines that such guarantees will primarily promote the export of United States agricultural commodities (as defined in section 101(6) of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978). The Commodity Credit Corporation shall give priority under this subsection to opportunities or projects identified under subsection (d). (c) Consultations.— Before the authority under this section is exercised, the Secretary of Agriculture shall consult with exporters of United States agricultural commodities (as defined in section 101(6) of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978), nongovernmental experts, and other Federal Government agencies in order to ensure that facilities in an emerging democracy for which financing is guaranteed under paragraph (1)(B) do not primarily benefit coun-104 STAT. 3692tries which are in close geographic proximity to that emerging democracy. (d) Sharing United States Agricultural Expertise.— (1) In general.— (A) Establishment of program.— For each of the fiscal years 1991 through 1995, the Secretary of Agriculture (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Secretary”), in order to develop, maintain, or expand markets for United States agricultural exports, is directed to make available to emerging democracies the expertise of the United States to make assessments of the food and rural business systems needs of such democracies, make recommendations on measures necessary to enhance the effectiveness of those systems, and identify specific opportunities and projects to enhance the effectiveness of those systems. (B) Extent of program.— The Secretary shall implement this subsection with respect to at least 3 emerging democracies in each fiscal year. (2) Experts from the united states.— The Secretary shall implement the requirements of paragraph (1)— (A) by providing assistance to teams consisting primarily of agricultural consultants and government officials expert in assessing the food and rural business systems of other countries to enable such teams to conduct the assessments, make the recommendations, and identify the opportunities and projects specified in paragraph (1) in emerging democracies; and (B) by providing necessary subsistence expenses in the United States and necessary transportation expenses by individuals designated by emerging democracies to enable such individuals to consult with food and rural business system experts in the United States to enhance such systems of such emerging democracies. (3) Cost-sharing.— The Secretary shall encourage the non-governmental experts described in paragraph (2)(B) to share the costs of, and otherwise assist in, the participation of such experts in the program under this subsection. (4) Technical assistance.— The Secretary is authorized to provide technical assistance to implement the recommendations, or in connection with the opportunities or projects identified, under paragraph (1). (5) Reports to secretary.— A team that receives assistance under paragraph (2)(A) shall prepare such reports as the Secretary may designate. (6) Report to congress.— The Secretary shall annually submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, a report summarizing the activities carried out under this subsection, including a summary of the assessments and recommendations prepared under this subsection, and the Secretary shall also make the assessments and recommendations available to the public. (7) Advisory committee.— To provide the Secretary with information that may be useful to the Secretary in carrying out the provisions of this subsection, the Secretary shall establish an advisory committee composed of representatives of the var-104 STAT. 3693ious sectors of the food and rural business systems of the United States. (8) Use of ccc.— The Secretary shall implement this subsection through the funds and facilities of the Commodity Credit Corporation. The authority provided under this subsection shall be in addition to and not in place of any other authority of the Secretary or the Commodity Credit Corporation. (9) Level of assistance.— The Secretary shall provide assistance under this subsection of not more than $5,000,000 in any fiscal year. (e) Foreign Debt Burdens.— (1) Effect of credits.— In carrying out the program described in subsection (a), the Secretary of Agriculture shall ensure that the credits for which repayment is guaranteed under subsection (a) do not negatively affect the political and economic situation in emerging democracies by excessively adding to the foreign debt burdens of such countries. (2) Consultation and report.— Not later than 6 months after the effective date of this title, and not later than the end of each 6-month period occurring thereafter, the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with other appropriate Federal departments, shall prepare and transmit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report to assist the Congress in assessing the extent to which credits for which repayment is guaranteed under subsection (a) meet the requirements of paragraph (1). The report shall include— (A) the amount and allocation, by country, of credit guarantees issued under subsection (a); (B) the aggregate foreign debt burdens of countries receiving commodities or facilities under such credit guarantees, expressed in terms of debt on account of agricultural commodities or products thereof, or facilities for which guarantees may be made under subsection (a)(1)(B), and all other debt; (C) the activities of creditor governments and private creditors to reschedule or reduce payments due on existing debt owed to such creditors by a country in cases where such country has been unable to fully meet its debt obligations; and (D) an analysis of— (i) the economic effects of the foreign debt burden of each recipient country, and in particular the economic effects on each recipient country of the credits for which repayment is guaranteed under subsection (a); and (ii) the relationship between any negative economic effects on any recipient country caused by its overall foreign debt burden and debt incurred under subsection (a) and such country’s political stability. (f) Emerging Democracy.— As used in this section, the term “emerging democracy” means any country that, as determined by the President, is taking steps toward— (1) political pluralism, based on progress toward free and fair elections and a multiparty political system; 104 STAT. 3694 (2) economic reform, based on progress toward a market-oriented economy; (3) respect for internationally recognized human rights; and (4) a willingness to build a friendly relationship with the United States.