§3807 Congressional Oversight Group

Summary

Creates a Congressional Oversight Group to advise the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on trade talks. The group must be set up no later than 60 days after August 6, 2002 and then within 30 days after each new Congress begins. It includes House members: the chair and ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee, three more Ways and Means members (no more than 2 from the same party), and the chair and ranking member (or their designees) of any House committees that would have jurisdiction over laws affected by the talks. It includes similar Senate members: the chair and ranking member of the Finance Committee, three more Finance members (no more than 2 from the same party), and chair and ranking members (or designees) of any Senate committees with that jurisdiction. The USTR, on the President’s behalf, must formally approve these members as official advisers to the U.S. negotiating team. The group must advise the USTR on objectives, negotiating strategies and positions, the drafting of agreements, and later compliance and enforcement. The group is co-chaired by the Ways and Means chair and the Finance chair. The USTR, after consulting the chairs and ranking minority members of Ways and Means and Finance, must write guidelines within 120 days after August 6, 2002 to help share information with the group and may update them later. The guidelines must require regular detailed briefings on objectives, positions, and negotiation status (with more briefings as talks near the end), give group members and properly cleared staff access to relevant documents including classified material, ensure close coordination at critical times (including at negotiation sites), provide for post‑agreement compliance consultation, and set the deadline for the report mentioned in section 3802(c)(8). If a majority of the group asks, the President must meet with the group before talks begin or at any other time about the negotiations.