§2504 Relationship of Trade Agreements to United States Law

Summary

Trade agreement rules that clash with U.S. laws don’t apply here. Agencies must issue any rules needed to carry out the government’s plan to implement an approved trade agreement within 1 year after the agreement goes into effect for the United States. If the President decides a U.S. law must be changed to meet an agreement, he must consult the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, and any other affected congressional committees at least 30 days before sending Congress a draft bill and any proposed administrative actions. He must publish his decision in the Federal Register and send Congress the text of the change, a draft bill that makes the change, an explanation of how it affects current law, and a statement about how it helps U.S. commerce and why the change is needed. The change cannot take effect unless Congress enacts the President’s bill. The President may also recommend how the change should be applied, and Congress will consider the bill under the same procedures used for trade-implementing bills. Finally, approving or entering into a trade agreement does not create any private legal right unless the law explicitly says so.