Trade Agreements: Procedure for Congressional Approval and Implementation

Publication Date: March 2005

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Government; Trade

Type:

Abstract:

Trade agreements on tariff-and-nontariff barriers, including those establishing free-trade areas, must be approved and implemented by the enactment of implementing bills, for the consideration of which expedited legislative procedures have been enacted. The procedures, initially referred to as "fast track" and more recently as "trade authorities procedures," provide for mandatory introduction and consideration of an implementing bill with deadlines for individual legislative stages, prohibit any amendments, and require an up-or-down vote.

This report presents the individual statutes setting out the authorities and procedures for relevant legislative action in a functional time-table, together with references to their public-law and U.S. Code alphanumerical designations.