,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hhhd ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,december #g1 #bjbj,mr4 ,blumenauer 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,sewell of ,alabama1 and ,ms4 ,moore7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,trade ,act of #aigd to modify and extend the ,generalized ,system of ,preferences1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,modification and extension of ,generalized ,system of ,preferences 7a7 ,designation of beneficiary developing countries ,section #ejb of the ,trade ,act of #aigd 7#ai ,u4,s4,c4 #bdfb7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b77#b7-- 7,a7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,h7 the following3 7,i7 ,such country engages in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights in that country 7including any designated zone in that country74 7,j7 ,such country has failed to effectively enforce its environmental laws1 regulations1 or other measures1 or to fulfill its international environmental obligations1 including as such obligations relate to public health4 2 and 7,b7 in the text following subparagraph 7,j7 7as so inserted71 by striking and 7,h7 7to the extent described in section #ejg7f77;,d77 and inserting 7,h7 7to the extent described in section #ejg7f77;,d771 7,i71 and 7,j72 7#b7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#f77;,b71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#g71 by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#h7 the extent to which such country effectively enforces its environmental laws1 regulations1 and other measures1 and fulfills its international environmental obligations1 including as such obligations relate to public health2 and 7#i7 the extent to which such country has established1 or is making continual progress toward establishing-- 7,a7 the rule of law1 political pluralism1 and the right to due process1 a fair trial1 and equal protection under the law2 7,b7 economic policies to reduce poverty1 increase the availability of health care and educational opportunities1 expand physical infrastructure1 promote the development of private enterprise1 and encourage the formation of capital markets through micro-credit or other programs2 and 7,c7 a system to combat corruption and bribery1 such as signing and implementing the ,convention on ,combating ,bribery of ,foreign ,public ,officials in ,international ,business ,transactions4 2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7g7 ,assessment and report on compliance with eligibility requirements 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,president shall-- 7,a7 on an annual basis-- 7i7 conduct assessments on compliance of an appropriate number of countries designated as beneficiary developing countries for purposes of this title in meeting or continuing to meet their eligibility requirements under this title2 and 7ii7 make determinations whether to self-initiate full country practice reviews of those countries' continued eligibility under this title2 and 7,b7 submit to ,congress a report consisting of the results of such assessments and determinations4 7#b7 ,frequency ,the ,president shall conduct an assessment described in clause 7i7 of paragraph 7#a77;,a7 and make a determination described in clause 7ii7 of such paragraph with respect to each country designated as a beneficiary developing country for purposes of this title not less frequently than once every #c years4 4 7b7 ,supplemental review and reporting 7#a7 ,policy of the ,united ,states ,it is the policy of the ,united ,states to support gender equality and worker rights by promoting legal reforms that address legal1 structural1 and social barriers that constrain the full and free economic participation of all workers in the global economy4 7#b7 ,review of laws 7,a7 ,in general ,title ,v of the ,trade ,act of #aigd 7#ai ,u4,s4,c4 #bdfa et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #ejd the following3 #ejd;,a4 ,review of laws relating to internationally recognized worker rights and equal rights and protection under the law 7a7 ,in general ,not later than ,may #a1 #bjba1 and annually thereafter1 the ,united ,states ,trade ,representative and the ,deputy ,undersecretary of ,labor for ,international ,affairs1 in consultation with the policy advisory committee on labor established under section #ace7;c77#a71 shall jointly-- 7#a7 review the laws of each beneficiary developing country relating to internationally recognized worker rights and the affording of equal rights and protection under the law1 regardless of gender1 in each of the categories described in subsection 7b72 7#b7 assess the legal rights and protections afforded in such countries2 and 7#c7 submit to ,congress a report on the laws of and legal rights and protections afforded in such countries4 7b7 ,categories described ,the categories described in this subsection are the following3 7#a7 ,internationally recognized worker rights4 7#b7 ,mobility4 7#c7 ,employment conditions1 benefits and pay1 including equal pay for equal work and removal of employment restrictions4 7#d7 ,entrepreneurship4 7#e7 ,assets1 including property and inheritance rights4 7#f7 ,equal access to education4 7#g7 ,access to institutions4 7#h7 ,protections from violence and harassment1 including gender-based violence and harassment4 7#i7 ,marriage1 divorce1 and child custody4 7c7 ,methodology and sources ,the report required by subsection 7a77#c7 shall include-- 7#a7 an explanation of the methodology and sources used for the conduct of reviews under subsection 7a77#a7 and the conduct of assessments under subsection 7a77#b72 and 7#b7 where relevant1 citations to data1 information1 studies1 and assessments that were used to prepare the report and were gathered1 compiled1 or developed by the ,united ,states ,government1 foreign governments1 multilateral institutions1 nongovernmental organizations1 or educational institutions4 7d7 ,measurement of women's economic empowerment ,to support the measurement of women's economic empowerment1 the ,trade ,representative shall encourage and support the reporting by beneficiary developing countries of sex-disaggregated economic and business data1 including the gathering of information consistent with the ,united ,nations ,sustainable ,development ,goals1 particularly the goals relating to gender equality and decent work4 4 7,b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents for the ,trade ,act of #aigd is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #ejd the following3 ,sec4 #ejd;,a4 ,review of laws relating to internationally recognized worker rights and equal rights and protection under the law4 4 7c7 ,extension of ,generalized ,system of ,preferences ,section #eje of the ,trade ,act of #aigd 7#ai ,u4,s4,c4 #bdfe7 is amended by striking ,december #ca1 #bjbj and inserting ,june #cj1 #bjba4 #b4 ,united ,states ,international ,trade ,commission study ,not later than ,may #a1 #bjba1 the ,united ,states ,international ,trade ,commission shall submit to ,congress a report that contains a study on rules of origin and the utilization rates under the ,generalized ,system of ,preferences program under title ,v of the ,trade ,act of #aigd 7#ai ,u4,s4,c4 #bdfa et seq471 including an assessment of-- 7#a7 the utilization rates of least-developed beneficiary developing countries under the program2 and 7#b7 the effectiveness of the program's rules of origin in promoting trade benefits to least-developed beneficiary developing countries under the program and preventing the transshipment of products from countries that are not beneficiary developing countries under the program4