Title 49, TransportationRelease 119-110

§50104 Restriction on Airport Projects Using Products or Services of Foreign Countries Denying Fair Market Opportunities

Title 49 › SUBTITLE VII — AVIATION PROGRAMS › PART E — MISCELLANEOUS › CHAPTER 501 — BUY-AMERICAN PREFERENCES › § 50104

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Stops federal airport grant money from being spent on products or services from any foreign country while the U.S. Trade Representative has put that country on a special list for denying fair market access. project — the same meaning given in section 47102. foreign instrumentality or a separately administered territory — each counts as its own foreign country. product — something mostly made in a foreign country. service — work done by a person who is a national of, or controlled by nationals of, a foreign country. Money made available under subchapter I of chapter 471 cannot be used for a project that uses a product or service from a listed country, unless the Secretary of Transportation finds all three things are true: banning the product or service would not be in the public interest; no suitable alternative of the same type and quality is available in the U.S. or in an unlisted country in enough amount; and excluding the product or service would raise the project cost by more than 20 percent. After a congressional report under section 181(b) of the Trade Act of 1974, the Trade Representative has 30 days to decide if a foreign government denies fair market chances for construction projects over $500,000 when that government helps pay. The Trade Representative keeps and publishes the list of such countries each year and posts any changes before the next annual list.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §50104

Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Definition and Rules for Construing Section.— (b) Limitation on Use of Available Amounts.—
In this section
(1)
(2)each foreign instrumentality and each territory and possession of a foreign country administered separately for customs purposes is a separate foreign country.
(3)an article substantially produced or manufactured in a foreign country is a product of the country.
(4)a service provided by a person that is a national of a foreign country or that is controlled by a national of a foreign country is a service of the country.
(c)Decisions on Denial of Fair Market Opportunities.—
Not later than 30 days after a report is submitted to Congress under section 181(b) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2241(b)), the Trade Representative, for a construction project of more than $500,000 for which the government of a foreign country supplies any part of the amount, shall decide whether the foreign country denies fair market opportunities for products and suppliers of the United States in procurement or for United States bidders. In making the decision, the Trade Representative shall consider information obtained in preparing the report and other information the Trade Representative considers relevant.
(d)List of Countries Denying Fair Market Opportunities.—
(1)The Trade Representative shall maintain a list of each foreign country the Trade Representative finds under subsection (c) of this section is denying fair market opportunities. The country shall remain on the list until the Trade Representative decides the country provides fair market opportunities.
(2)The Trade Representative shall publish in the Federal Register—
(A)annually the list required under paragraph (1) of this subsection; and
(B)any modification of the list made before the next list is published.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Pub. L. 103–272 Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 49104(a)(1)(no source). 49104(a)(2)– (4)49 App.:2226(d).Sept. 3, 1982, Pub. L. 97–248, 96 Stat. 324, § 533; added Dec. 30, 1987, Pub. L. 100–223, § 115, 101 Stat. 1505. 49104(b)49 App.:2226(a). 49104(c)49 App.:2226(b). 49104(d)49 App.:2226(c). Subsection (a)(1) is added for clarity. In subsection (b)(1), the words “subchapter I of chapter 471 of this title (except section 47106(d) and 47127)” are substituted for “Act” in section 533(a)(1) of the Airport and Airway Development Act of 1982, as added by section 115 of the Airport and Airway Safety and Capacity Expansion Act of 1987 (Public Law 100–223, 101 Stat. 1505) to correct a mistake. In subsection (b)(2), before clause (A), the words “with respect to the use of a product or service in a project” are omitted as surplus. In clause (B), the words “or service” are added for clarity and consistency in this section. In clause (C), the words “overall” and “contract” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (c), the words “the date which is”, “the date on which”, “or not”, and “and equitable” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (d)(1), the words “finds under subsection (c) of this section is denying fair market opportunities” are substituted for “with respect to which an affirmative determination is made under subsection (b)” for clarity. In subsection (d)(2)(A), the word “entire” is omitted as surplus. Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(89)This makes a clarifying amendment to 49:50101(a) and (b)(3), 50102, 50104(b)(1), and 50105, as redesignated by clause (88)(D) of this section, because 49:47106(d) was struck by section 108(1) of the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994 (Public Law 103–305, 108 Stat. 1573).

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2024—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 118–63 struck out “(except section 47127)” after “subchapter I of chapter 471 of this title”. 1996—Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(88)(D), renumbered section 49104 of this title as this section. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(89), substituted “section 47127” for “section 47106(d) and 47127”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 50104

Title 49, Transportation

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110