§2504 Relationship of trade agreements to United States law

Summary

Any part of a trade agreement that clashes with a U.S. law cannot be used as U.S. law. If rules are needed to carry out promised administrative actions for an agreement, those rules must be issued within 1 year after the agreement takes effect for the United States. The start of an agreement or the passing of this Act does not give people any private legal rights unless the law clearly says so. If the President decides U.S. law must be changed to meet an agreement’s requirement, he must send Congress a draft bill and a statement about any administrative actions he plans. At least 30 days before sending the bill, the President must talk with the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, and any other affected House or Senate committees. Before the change can take effect, the President must notify both Houses and publish that notice in the Federal Register, send the exact text and a draft bill with explanations about how it affects current law and U.S. commerce, and Congress must pass the bill. The President can make similar recommendations about how the rule should apply. For rules about how Congress will consider the bill, the phrase “trade agreement” means the requirement or amendment, and “implementing bill” means the President’s bill.