(1) employee stock ownership plans in industrial, farming, banking, and other enterprises in Central America and the Caribbean can be an important component in achieving United States goals in Central America and the Caribbean; and (2) employee stock ownership plans should be used as an instrument in financing growth and transfers of equity in the region, in reorganizing state-owned enterprises into viable employee-owned businesses, in expanding political and economic pluralism, and in strengthening democratic institutions in the region. (b) PLAN FOR EXPANDED USE OF ESOPS.-The President is urged to develop a plan for the expanded use of employee stock ownership plans in development efforts of the United States in Central America and the Caribbean, with an emphasis on policy and infra-structural changes needed to encourage voluntary employee stock ownership initiatives by multinational corporations and other private sector enterprises which have investments, are considering making new investments, or are interested in management contracts and joint ventures in the region. (c) TASK FORCE.-To assist in this effort, there is established a Presidential Task Force on Project Economic Justice (hereafter in this section referred to as the "Task Force"), which shall consist of individuals appointed by the President who are distinguished leaders of the private sector of the United States, including significant representation of union representatives of workers in successful companies with employee stock ownership plans and of nationally recognized experts in all phases of design, implementation, and operation of employee stock ownership plans. The President shall designate one of the members of the Task Force to serve as Chairman. The Chairman of the Task Force shall appoint a volunteer fundraising committee, and all the expenses of the Task Force shall be paid without the use of public funds. (d) REPORT.-Not later than December 31, 1985, the Task Force shall prepare and transmit to the President and the Congress a report on the expanded use of employee stock ownership plans in the development efforts of the United States in Central America and the Caribbean, including specific recommendations on strategies for using employee stock ownership plans as a means of accelerating the rate of private sector capital formation in Central America and the Caribbean that is systematically linked to expanding ownership and profit-sharing opportunities for all employees. SEC. 714. INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR THE CARIBBEAN REGION. (a) FINDINGS.-The Congress finds that (1) many of the social, agricultural, educational, and economic problems which confront nations in the Caribbean Region result primarily from social and economic injustice and inadequate economic and agricultural development; (2) such problems are not addressed sufficiently by current United States policies toward that region; (3) the development of the Caribbean Region is of vital importance to the economic and strategic interests of the United States and its allies; and (4) for purposes of defining development plans, providing an international forum for Caribbean Region development issues. and providing expert advice to donor-aid countries, an international commission is needed as the prime institution for promoting economic cooperation and development in the Caribbean Region. (b) INVITATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMISSION.— (1) INVITATION TO CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES.-The President may invite the countries which comprise the Caribbean Region to participate with the United States in a commission to be known as the International Advisory Commission for the Caribbean Region (hereafter in this section referred to as the "Commission"). (2) INVITATION TO CERTAIN OTHER COUNTRIES.-The President may also invite the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands to participate in the Commission. (c) FUNCTIONS OF COMMISSION.-It is the sense of the Congress that the Commission should (1) examine social, agricultural, educational, and economic issues which affect the Caribbean Region; and (2) consult with leaders of the countries in the Caribbean Region and with representatives from public and private organizations involved in matters related to the Caribbean Region in order to evaluate the problems and needs of such countries. (d) FUNDING FOR ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING OF COMMISSION.-Of the funds authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 106 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (relating to development assistance for energy, private and voluntary organizations, and selected development activities), up to a total of $100,000 for fiscal years 1986 and 1987 may be made available to (1) pay reasonable administrative expenses associated with the organizational meeting of the Commission; and (2) pay reasonable travel and lodging expenses incurred by commissioners from other participant governments incident to their attendance at the organizational meeting of the Commission. (e) REQUEST TO CONGRESS RELATING TO UNITED STATES PARTICI PATION IN THE COMMISSION.-The President should provide cost estimates and request authorization from the Congress in order to provide for the participation of the United States in the Commission (other than United States participation associated with the organizational meeting). (f) APPOINTMENT OF UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE AND OBSERVERS.-Upon the creation of the Commission (1) the President should consider appointing one individual as the United States representative to the Commission; (2) the Speaker of the House of Representatives should consider appointing two Members of the House, one from each major political party, as observers at the Commission; and (3) the majority leader of the Senate should consider appointing two Members of the Senate, one from each major political party, as observers at the Commission. SEC. 715.36*** SEC. 716. RURAL ELECTRIFICATION. It is the sense of the Congress that funds appropriated for the fiscal years 1986 and 1987 under section 103(a)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (relating to development assistance for agriculture, rural development, and nutrition) should be used for a comprehensive rural electrification program in Central America in order to establish conditions of stability and a foundation for economic development. SEC. 717. FACILITATING INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE THROUGH MEXICO. (a) FINDING.-Recognizing that increased levels of balanced international trade are an essential component in an economic development program for the region and that the United States has traditionally been the most important trading partner for each of the nations of Latin America, it is the sense of the Congress that current procedures and laws of the Government of Mexico, and practices of its officials, constitute a significant impediment to the transit of vehicles carrying the commodities of international trade through Mexican territory. (b) NEGOTIATIONS AND COOPERATIVE STEPS CONCERNING TRANSIT. As the Government of Mexico has played a valuable role in assisting and encouraging the economic and political development of the region, and in offering advice to the United States as to constructive policies this nation might pursue with respect to peace and prosperity in the area, the Secretary of State, acting independently or with representatives of other Latin America nations, shall initiate negotiations with the Government of Mexico aimed at eliminating or reducing those impediments to international trade. The agenda for such negotiations should include discussions to encourage the Government of Mexico to accede to existing international custom conventions on international in-transit shipments. Such actions are to be taken in concert with the institution by the United States, and the nations of the region where the transiting shipments originate, of appropriate and cooperative steps to make sealed-truck, no-inspection transit administratively acceptable to the Government of Mexico and other transited countries. Similar bilateral or multilateral negotiations by the Secretary of State with nations respecting the same international customs conventions is also encouraged. (c) REPORT.-The Secretary of State shall report the status of these negotiations to Congress by January 1, 1986. SEC. 718. CONDEMNING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND THE SUBVERSION OF OTHER GOVERNMENTS BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA. (a) CONDEMNATION OF CERTAIN ACTION BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA. The Congress condemns (1) the consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights by the Cuban Government, including 36 Sec. 715 amended sec. 726 of the International Security and Development Cooperation Act, 1981 (Public Law 97-113). mane, ind zegrading treatment and pun De vizpression, free speech. press, and assembly, KPORTS ous activity and the freedom to zelican government of material aid or the purposes of subversion. TRENNENT OF CUBA.-The Congress calls Daca to restore civil liberties and cease size Cuban people and cease the ments through material and personnel FOREIGN DEBT IN LATIN AMERICA. I Can American countries has soared reg Leet 1 Lan American countries is a serious heir venume progress. threatens their stability, daizers the temocrane processes in those nations; sceneme and political futures of many of the Latin vutres tang the balance and depend upon a The forem debt crisis; and PilzenCE De American people in the United anking is uso involved in a successful resote brengt teot crisis. ater can Saruary 1. 1986, the Secretary of prevare and "ransmit to the Congress a report onmagictue of the foreign debt crisis in the Western impact of the foreign debt crisis on the economies of De punimes I Latin America: re degree to when the national security interests of the **ed Sales are implicated in this crisis: re sizes being taken and the policy being pursued by the 84 States aimed at dealing with this crisis; ne degree to which the foreign debt crisis affects the sys en arking in the United States; and re steps being taken and the policy being pursued by the Chaed States Government aimed at dealing with this crisis. 10. SCUNOMIC ASSISTANCE FOR URUGUAY. Of he amounts authorized to be appropriated to carry out chap↓ of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (relating to economic support fund. $25.000.000 for fiscal year 1986 and $ 5,00,200 for fiscal year 1987 shall be available only for Uru SSU, 121, CANADIAN EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES. A livestock prices have been in decline for some time due to excessive supply partially caused by dramatic increases in mportation of live cattle and hogs from Canada, which has in creased by 1,000 percent in the last decade in the case of hogs alone; (B) American livestock producers are suffering from the same general economic crisis affecting all of agriculture, and many will face liquidation or foreclosure in the near future; and (C) the disparity between the United States and the Canadian dollar amounts to 32 to 34 percent and results in even further increases in Canadian hogs and cattle being imported into the United States. (2) Therefore, it is the sense of the Congress that the President should direct appropriate officials of the executive branch, including the United States Trade Representative, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Commerce, to aggressively pursue discussions with the Canadian Government directed toward immediate reduction in the Canadian export of cattle and hogs to the United States. (b) SOFTWOOD TIMBER. (1) The Congress finds that (A) softwood timber prices have been in decline for some time due to excessive supply partially caused by dramatic increases in importation of processed softwood timber from Canada, which has increased from 18 percent of the United States market in the last two years to 35 to 40 percent today; (B) American timber producers are suffering from this economic crisis, and the difficulty in acquiring timber from the National Forest System; and (C) the disparity between the United States and the Canadian dollar amounts to 32 to 34 percent and results in even further increases in processed softwood timber being imported into the United States. (2) Therefore, it is the sense of the Congress that the President should direct appropriate officials of the executive branch, including the United States Trade Representative, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Commerce, to aggressively pursue discussions with the Canadian Government directed toward immediate reduction in the Canadian export of softwood timber to the United States. SEC. 722. NICARAGUA. (a) SETTLEMENT OF THE CONFLICT.-The Congress (1) strongly supports national reconciliation in Nicaragua and the creation of a framework for negotiating a peaceful settlement to the Nicaraguan conflict; and (2) finds that the United States should, in assisting efforts to reach comprehensive and verifiable final agreements based on the Contadora Document of Objectives, encourage the Government of Nicaragua to pursue a dialogue with the armed opposition forces and their political representatives for the purposes of achieving an equitable political settlement of the conflict, including free and fair elections. (b) UNITED STATES CONCERNS ABOUT NICARAGUAN FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC POLICIES.-The Congress finds and declares the following: |