ENVIRONMENTAL TRADE PROMOTION.

SEC. 204. ENVIRONMENTAL TRADE PROMOTION. (a) TPCC Activities.— Subtitle C of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4721 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section: “SEC. 2313. ENVIRONMENTAL TRADE PROMOTION. “(a) Statement of Policy.— It is the policy of the United States to foster the export of United States environmental technologies, goods, and services. In exercising their powers and functions, all appropriate departments and agencies of the United States Government shall encourage and support sales of such technologies, goods, and services. “(b) Environmental Trade Working Group of the Trade Promotion Coordination Committee.— “(1) Establishment and purpose.— The President shall establish the Environmental Trade Promotion Working Group (hereafter in this section referred to as the Working Group’) as a subcommittee of the Trade Promotion Coordination Committee (hereafter in this section referred to as the ‘TPCC’), established under section 2312. The purpose of the Working Group shall be— “(A) to address all issues with respect to the export promotion and export financing of United States environmental technologies, goods, and services; and “(B) to develop a strategy for expanding United States exports of environmental technologies, goods, and services. “(2) Membership.— The members of the Working Group shall be— “(A) representatives of the departments and agencies that are represented on the TPCC, who are designated by the head of their respective departments or agencies to advise the head of such department or agency on ways of promoting the export of United States environmental technologies, goods, and services; and “(B) a representative of the Environmental Protection Agency. “(3) Chairperson.— The Secretary of Commerce (hereafter in this section referred to as the ‘Secretary’) shall designate the chairperson of the Working Group from among senior employees of the Department of Commerce. The chairperson shall— “(A) assess the effectiveness of United States Government programs for the promotion of exports of environmental technologies, goods, and services; “(B) recommend improvements to such programs, including regulatory changes or additional authority that may be necessary to improve the promotion of exports of environmental technologies, goods, and services; “(C) ensure that the members of the Working Group coordinate their environmental trade promotion programs, including feasibility studies, technical assistance, training programs, business information services, and export financing; and “(D) assess, jointly with the Working Group representative of the Environmental Protection Agency, the extent to which the environmental trade promotion programs of the Working Group advance the environmental goals estab-106 STAT. 2203 lished in ‘Agenda 21’ by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held at Rio de Janeiro, and in other international environmental agreements. “(4) Report to congress.— The chairperson of the TPCC shall include a report on the activities of the Working Group as a part of the annual report submitted to the Congress by the TPCC. “(c) Trade Information.— In support of the work of the Working Group, the Secretary shall, as part of the regular market survey and information services activities of the Department of Commerce, make available— “(1) information on existing and emerging markets and market trends for environmental technologies, goods, and services; and “(2) a description of the export promotion programs for environmental technologies, goods, and services of the agencies that are represented on the Working Group. “(d) Overseas Services for Exporters.— “(1) Authorization.— The Secretary is authorized to designate a Foreign Commercial Service officer to serve as the Environmental Export Assistance Officer in any country— “(A) whose companies are important competitors for United States exports of environmental technologies, goods, and services; or “(B) that offers promising markets for such exports. “(2) Duties.— The officer designated under paragraph (1) shall provide export promotion assistance to United States companies, including— “(A) assessments of government assistance provided to producers of environmental technologies, goods, and services in such countries, the effectiveness of such assistance on the competitiveness of United States products, and whether comparable United States assistance exists; “(B) assistance in identifying potential customers and market opportunities in such countries; “(C) assistance in obtaining necessary business services in such countries; “(D) information on environmental standards and regulations in such countries; and “(E) information on all United States Government programs that could assist the promotion, financing, and sale of exports of United States environmental technologies, goods, and services in such countries.”. (b) Report on Insurance Feasibility.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the chairperson of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, after consultation with the appropriate departments and agencies of the United States Government, shall submit a report to the Congress that analyzes— (1) the extent to which Federal investment insurance and export financing programs sufficiently protect against business failures or default on obligations arising from changes by a foreign government in its environmental laws or regulations; and (2) the advisability and feasibility of expanding the coverage of such programs, or creating new programs, to address such risks.