H.R. 5493 (ih) To improve the ability of local communities to participate in Federal [Introduced in House] ...

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106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5492

To require nationals of the United States that employ individuals in a 
  foreign country to provide full transparency and disclosure in all 
                           their operations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 18, 2000

 Ms. McKinney introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require nationals of the United States that employ individuals in a 
  foreign country to provide full transparency and disclosure in all 
                           their operations.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Transparency and Responsibility for 
United States Trade Health Act of 2000'' or ``TRUTH Act of 2000''.

SEC. 2. TRANSPARENCY AND DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR UNITED STATES 
              NATIONALS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

    (a) Requirement.--A national of the United States that employs 1 or 
more individuals in a foreign country, either directly or through 
subsidiaries, subcontractors, affiliates, joint ventures, partners, or 
licensees (including any security forces of the national), shall take 
the necessary steps to provide transparency and disclosure in all its 
operations, including the full public disclosure of the following:
            (1) Information relating to location, address, and 
        corporate name of all facilities abroad, including such 
        information of all subsidiaries, subcontractors, affiliates, 
        joint ventures, partners, suppliers, or licensees (including 
        any security forces of the national).
            (2) Applicable financial agreements, and investments of 
        partners, suppliers, subsidiaries, contractors, and 
        subcontractors of the national of the United States (including 
        any security forces of the national).
            (3) Worker rights practices and labor standards, including 
        any complaints from employees and violations of local labor 
        laws.
            (4) Age, gender, and number of employees in each facility.
            (5) Wages paid to employees, including policies on overtime 
        pay.
            (6) Working conditions based on current standards of the 
        Occupational Safety and Health Organization for similar 
        operations.
            (7) Programs that educate employees about dangers and 
        safety precautions of any chemical used in the workplace.
            (8) Environmental performance, including toxic release 
        inventory of all pollutants released into the local land, 
        water, or air and disclosure of the amount of natural resources 
        that are extracted, processed, or purchased abroad.
            (9) The existence of security arrangements with state 
        police and military forces or with third party military or 
        paramilitary forces.
            (10) The human rights policy of the national, any 
        complaints received from local communities, and any human 
        rights lawsuits filed against the national.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) National of the united states.--The term ``national of 
        the United States'' means--
                    (A) a citizen of the United States or an alien 
                lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United 
                States; or
                    (B) a corporation, partnership, or other business 
                association that is organized under the laws of the 
                United States.
            (2) United states.--The term ``United States'' means the 
        States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession of 
        the United States.

SEC. 3. ENFORCEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

    (a) Regulatory Authority.--The President shall issue such rules and 
regulations as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.
    (b) Enforcement.--The President, with respect to his authorities 
under subsection (a), shall take the necessary steps to ensure 
compliance (including the monitoring of compliance) with the provisions 
of this Act and any rules and regulations issued to carry out this Act.
    (c) Liability.--Any person who is in violation of any provision of 
this Act (or any rule, regulation, license, or order issued to carry 
out this Act) shall be liable for damages in a civil cause of action 
initiated in an appropriate United States district court to any 
individual aggrieved by the act or omission of the person in question, 
or to the heirs, estate, or other legal representative of the 
individual.
                                 <all>

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