Senate Bill to Grant PNTR Status for Russia
 
April 22, 2003
 

On Monday, March 10, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Richard Lugar (R-IN) introduced a bill (S. 580) to grant permanent, normal trade relations (PNTR) status to Russia, noting that the country has received normal trade relations treatment since 1992, and has been found to be in full compliance with the freedom of emigration requirements, under title IV of the Trade Act of 1974, since 1994. The legislation would “repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment to Title IV of the 1974 Trade Act as it relates to Russia and to authorize the President to grant permanent normal trade relations to Russia,” as stated by the Chairman. Under the current legal framework, the administration must submit a semi-annual report to Congress on Russia’s compliance with freedom of emigration requirements under the Jackson-Vanik amendment. The Chairman also noted that, “[s]ince 1991, Congress has authorized the removal of Jackson-Vanik restrictions from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Kyrgyzstan, Albania, and Georgia.” After its introduction to the Senate, the legislation was referred to the Senate Committee on Finance for further review. Last year, the administration rescinded Russia’s nonmarket economy status utilized by the U.S. Department of Commerce in its determinations involving trade remedy investigations.