H.R. 6990 — Introduced in House

I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6990 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 12, 2024Mr. LaHood introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means A BILL To modify the bases for ineligibility for countries to benefit from the Generalized System of Preferences, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Digital Trade for Development Act. 2. Modifications to authority to designate countries Section 502 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2462) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)(2)— (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) through (H) as subparagraphs (E) through (I), respectively; (B) in the matter following subparagraph (H), by striking (D), (E), (F), (G), and (H) (to the extent described in section 507(6)(D)) and inserting (D), (E), (F), (G), (H), and (I) (to the extent described in section 507(6)(D)); and (C) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new subparagraph: (D) The President, acting through the United States Trade Representative, determines that such country restricts digital trade to the detriment of United States development goals, strategic interests, or competitiveness. ; and (2) in subsection (c)— (A) in paragraph (6)(B), by striking ; and and the end and inserting a semicolon; (B) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (8) the extent to which such country— (A) has refrained from imposing digital trade barriers, such as unnecessary or discriminatory data localization or data transfer restrictions, discriminatory treatment of digital products, or forced disclosure of proprietary source code; and (B) has taken steps in the digital environment to support consumer protections, the privacy of personal information, and open digital ecoystems. .