Title 19 — Customs Duties
Chapter 15 — Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery
§ 2707. Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade
Statutory text
Establishment
The Commissioner of Customs, after consultation with appropriate officials in the State of Texas, is authorized and directed to make grants to an institution (or a consortium of such institutions) to assist such institution in planning, establishing, and operating a Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Center”). The Commissioner of Customs shall make the first grant not later than , and the Center shall be established not later than .
Scope of Center
The Center shall be a year-round program operated by an institution located in the State of Texas (or a consortium of such institutions), the purpose of which is to promote and study trade between and among Western Hemisphere countries. The Center shall conduct activities designed to examine—
the impact of the NAFTA on the economies in, and trade within, the Western Hemisphere;
the negotiation of any future free trade agreements, including possible accessions to the NAFTA; and
adjusting tariffs, reducing nontariff barriers, improving relations among customs officials, and promoting economic relations among countries in the Western Hemisphere.
Consultation; selection criteria
The Commissioner of Customs shall consult with appropriate officials of the State of Texas and private sector authorities with respect to selecting, planning, and establishing the Center. In selecting the appropriate institution, the Commissioner of Customs shall give consideration to—
the institution’s ability to carry out the programs and activities described in this section; and
any resources the institution can provide the Center in addition to Federal funds provided under this program.
Programs and activities
The Center shall conduct the following activities:
Provide forums for international discussion and debate for representatives from countries in the Western Hemisphere regarding issues which affect trade and other economic relations within the hemisphere, including the impact of the NAFTA on individual economies and the desirability and feasibility of possible accessions to the NAFTA by such countries.
Conduct studies and research projects on subjects which affect Western Hemisphere trade, including tariffs, customs, regional and national economics, business development and finance, production and personnel management, manufacturing, agriculture, engineering, transportation, immigration, telecommunications, medicine, science, urban studies, border demographics, social anthropology, and population.
Publish materials, disseminate information, and conduct seminars and conferences to support and educate representatives from countries in the Western Hemisphere who seek to do business with or invest in other Western Hemisphere countries.
Provide grants, fellowships, endowed chairs, and financial assistance to outstanding scholars and authorities from Western Hemisphere countries.
Provide grants, fellowships, and other financial assistance to qualified graduate students, from Western Hemisphere countries, to study at the Center.
Implement academic exchange programs and other cooperative research and instructional agreements with the complementary Dante B. Fascell North-South Center at the University of Miami at Coral Gables.
Definitions
For purposes of this section—
NAFTA
The term “NAFTA” means the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Western Hemisphere countries
The terms “Western Hemisphere countries”, “countries in the Western Hemisphere”, and “Western Hemisphere” mean Canada, the United States, Mexico, countries located in South America, beneficiary countries (as defined by section 2702 of this title), the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands.
Fees for seminars and publications
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a grant made under this section may provide that the Center may charge a reasonable fee for attendance at seminars and conferences and for copies of publications, studies, reports, and other documents the Center publishes. The Center may waive such fees in any case in which it determines imposing a fee would impose a financial hardship and the purposes of the Center would be served by granting such a waiver.
Duration of grant
The Commissioner of Customs is directed to make grants to any institution or institutions selected as the Center for fiscal years 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997.
Report
The Commissioner of Customs shall, no later than , and annually thereafter for years for which grants are made, submit a written report to the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives. The first report shall include—
a statement identifying the institution or institutions selected as the Center;
the reasons for selecting the institution or institutions as the Center; and
the plan of such institution or institutions for operating the Center.
Each subsequent report shall include information with respect to the operations of the Center, the collaboration of the Center with, and dissemination of information to, Government policymakers and the business community with respect to the study of Western Hemispheric trade by the Center, and the plan and efforts of the Center to continue operations after grants under this section have expired.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
Pub. L. 98–67 title II § 219 · 97 Stat. 369
Enacted · 19 U.S.C. § 2707
Pub. L. 98–67, title II, § 219, as added Pub. L. 103–182, title V, § 515(a), Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2158
Source evidence
Code source credit
Pub. L. 98–67, title II, § 219, as added Pub. L. 103–182, title V, § 515(a), Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2158Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 1996
Pub. L. 104–295 § 21(d)(1) · 110 Stat. 3514
Substituted · 19 U.S.C. § 2707(b)(1)
Pub. L. 104–295, § 21(d)(1), substituted semicolon for comma at end
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 104–295, § 21(d)(1), substituted semicolon for comma at end.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(1) in subsection (b)(1) by striking “Hemisphere,” and inserting “Hemisphere;”; andMiscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 1996
Pub. L. 104–295 § 21(d)(2) · 110 Stat. 3514
Substituted · 19 U.S.C. § 2707(h)(1); 19 U.S.C. § 2707(h)(2)
Pub. L. 104–295, § 21(d)(2), substituted semicolon for comma after “Center”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (h)(1), (2). Pub. L. 104–295, § 21(d)(2), substituted semicolon for comma after “Center”.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(2) in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (h) by striking “Center,” and inserting “Center;”.Pub. L. 106–29 § 2(a) · 113 Stat. 54
Substituted · 19 U.S.C. § 2707(d)(6)
Pub. L. 106–29 substituted “Dante B. Fascell North-South Center” for “North/South Center”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (d)(6). Pub. L. 106–29 substituted “Dante B. Fascell North-South Center” for “North/South Center”.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(a) Center.— Any reference in any other provision of law to 19 USC 2707. the educational institution in Florida known as the North/South Center shall be deemed to be a reference to the “Dante B. Fascell North-South Center”.
3 of 4 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 1 partial
Editorial Notes
Amendments1996–1999 · 2 rounds
1999
Subsec. (d)(6). Pub. L. 106–29 substituted “Dante B. Fascell North-South Center” for “North/South Center”.
1996
Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 104–295, § 21(d)(1), substituted semicolon for comma at end.
Subsec. (h)(1), (2). Pub. L. 104–295, § 21(d)(2), substituted semicolon for comma after “Center”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of , as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. For establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, treated as if included in Pub. L. 107–296 as of , see section 211 of Title 6, as amended generally by Pub. L. 114–125, and section 802(b) of Pub. L. 114–125, set out as a note under section 211 of Title 6.
Authorization of Appropriations
Pub. L. 103–182, title V, § 515(b), , 107 Stat. 2159, which authorized appropriations for fiscal year 1994 and the 3 succeeding fiscal years to carry out the purposes of this section, was repealed by Pub. L. 116–113, title VI, § 601, , 134 Stat. 78, effective on the date the USMCA entered into force ().
Credits
1993–1999 · 3 acts
- 1993Pub. L. 98–67, title II, § 219, as added Pub. L. 103–182, title V, § 515(a), , 107 Stat. 2158
- 1996amended Pub. L. 104–295, § 21(d), , 110 Stat. 3530
- 1999Pub. L. 106–29, § 2(a), , 113 Stat. 54.
Show as published
(Pub. L. 98–67, title II, § 219, as added Pub. L. 103–182, title V, § 515(a), , 107 Stat. 2158; amended Pub. L. 104–295, § 21(d), , 110 Stat. 3530; Pub. L. 106–29, § 2(a), , 113 Stat. 54.)