Order Code RS21004
Updated December 18, 2001
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Fast-Track Negotiating Authority for Trade
Agreements and Trade Promotion Authority:
Chronology of Major Votes
Carolyn C. Smith
Senior Research Librarian
Information Research Division
Summary
This is a chronology, from 1974 to the present, of the significant legislation
concerning fast-track trade negotiating authority, with emphasis on the bills and
resolutions that had floor votes. Also included is a chronology of votes on implementing
legislation on trade agreements, from 1979 to the present; these bills were passed under
expedited procedures by Congress and signed by the President. For further discussions
of past legislative activity on fast-track legislation and of current bills on trade promotion
authority (TPA), CRS reports and Internet resources are listed at the end of this report.
Members of Congress who want more on this topic may consult the CRS Electronic
Briefing Book (EBB) on Trade at [http://www.congress.gov/brbk/html/ebtra1.shtml].
This report will be updated as legislation warrants.
Legislative Background Information
Fast-track is an expedited procedure for congressional consideration of international
trade agreements. This process is tied to the President’s authority to enter into trade
agreements to reduce U.S. tariff and non-tariff barriers with other countries. The fast-
track authority provides that Congress will consider trade agreements within mandatory
deadlines, with a limitation on debate, and without amendment, as long as the President
meets prescribed requirements as set out by law. The statutory provisions for “trade
agreement negotiating authority” are in the United States Code, at 19 U.S.C. 2902, 2903,
2904, and 2906.

The Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act of 1934 (P.L. 73-316) established the
authority of the President in negotiating reduction of tariff barriers. The Trade Act of
1974 (P.L. 93-618) required more extensive consultations between Congress and the
President during trade negotiations. However, this Act also provided a new mechanism
for expediting the consideration of trade agreements, which came to be known as fast-
track. Congress authorized and extended fast-track authority several times, as shown in
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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the chronology of votes, but fast-track negotiating authority expired in 1994. In
subsequent sessions of Congress, there were several legislative proposals to reauthorize
fast-track authority, but these bills did not pass. In the 105th Congress, H.R. 2621 was
defeated in a House vote on September 25, 1998. In the 107th Congress, new legislative
proposals on trade promotion authority (TPA) are being considered. On December 6,
2001, the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2001 (H.R. 3005) passed the
House, with a vote of 215 to 214.
In the chronology of fast-track legislation in Table 1, some of the listed bills focus
on the sole issue of fast-track negotiating authority. Other bills are major landmarks of
trade legislation
, of which fast-track is only one of many trade provisions. These major
trade acts, listed in boldface, include the Trade Act of 1974, the Trade Agreements Act
of 1979, the Trade and Tariff Act of 1984, and the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness
Act of 1988.
Table 1. Chronology of Votes in Legislation Authorizing or
Extending Fast-Track Negotiating Authority for Trade Agreements

Congress
Bill and Title
Description and Comments
Votes
93rd
H.R. 10710
Trade reform, including
Passed House
Congress
Trade Act of 1974
provisions in Title I for
December 11, 1973 (272-140).
(P.L. 93-618,
“negotiating and other
Passed Senate
enacted January 3,
authority” for trade
December 13, 1974 (77-4).
1975)
agreements.
Conference Report
passed Senate
December 20, 1974 (72-4).
96th
H.R. 4537
Implemented trade
Passed House
Congress
Trade Agreements
agreements negotiated by the
July 11, 1979 (395-7).
Act of 1979
United States in the Tokyo
Passed Senate
(P.L. 96-39, enacted
Round of the General
July 23, 1979 (90-4).
July 26, 1979)
Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade (GATT).
Extended for an additional 8
years (until January 3, 1988),
the President’s authority to
negotiate trade agreements,
under expedited procedures.
98th
H.R. 3398
Included section 401 (for the
Passed House
Congress
Trade and Tariff
negotiation of a free trade
June 28, 1983 (368-43).
Act of 1984 (P.L.
agreement with Israel) and
Passed Senate
98-573, enacted
section 404 (a provision on
September 20, 1984 (96-0).
October 30, 1984)
fast-track procedures for
Conference Report passed House
perishable articles).
October 9, 1984 (386-1).
98th
Related bill: H.R.
U.S. Israel Free Trade Area
Passed House
Congress
5377
October 3, 1984 (416-6).
Text of bill was inserted into
H.R. 3398.

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Congress
Bill and Title
Description and Comments
Votes
100th
H.R. 4848
Comprehensive trade
Passed House
Congress
Omnibus Trade
legislation including section
July 13, 1988 (376-45).
and
1102, providing authority for
Passed Senate
Competitiveness
the President to enter into
August 3, 1988 (85-11).
Act of 1988 (P.L.
reciprocal bilateral and
100-418, enacted
multilateral trade
August 23, 1988)
agreements.
See H.R. 3 below.
100th
Related bill: H.R. 3
Omnibus Trade and
Passed House
Congress
Competitiveness Act of 1987.
April 30, 1987 (290-137).
Provisions concerning trade
Passed Senate
agreement authority were
July 21, 1987 (71-27).
reintroduced into H.R. 4848,
Conference Report passed House
which was enacted as P.L.
April 21, 1988 (312-107).
100-418.
Conference Report passed
Senate April 27, 1988 (63-36).
Vetoed by President,
May 24, 1988.
Motion to override veto passed
House, May 24, 1988 (308-113).
Motion to override veto failed to
pass in Senate, June 8, 1988
(61-37).
100th
S. 1420
Omnibus Trade and
Several cloture motions on
Congress
Competitiveness Act of 1987
amendments in 1987.
102nd
H.Res. 101
Resolution disapproving the
Failed House
Congress
extension of fast-track
May 23, 1991 (192-231).
procedures to implement
trade agreements entered
into after May 31, 1991.
102nd
H.Res. 146
Resolution concerning U.S.
Passed House
Congress
objectives of future trade
May 23, 1991 (329-85).
agreements.

102nd
S. Res. 78
Resolution disapproving
Failed Senate
Congress
extension of fast-track
May 24, 1991 (36-59).
procedures under the
Omnibus Trade and
Competitiveness Act of 1988.
103rd
H.R. 1876
Uruguay Round of
Passed House
Congress
Uruguay Round of
Multilateral Trade
June 22, 1993 (295-126).
Multilateral Trade
Negotiations, provision of
Passed Senate
Negotiations
presidential authority to
June 30,1993 (76-16).
(P.L. 103-49,
enter into trade agreements
enacted July 2,
to conclude the Uruguay
1993)
Round under GATT, and to
apply congressional fast-
track procedures to
implementing legislation.

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Congress
Bill and Title
Description and Comments
Votes
105th
H.R. 2621
Reciprocal Trade Agreement
Failed House
Congress
Authorities Act of 1997.
September 25, 1998 (180-243).
Failed to extend the trade
authority procedures with
respect to reciprocal trade
agreements.
107th
H.R. 3005
Bipartisan Trade Promotion
Passed House
Congress
Authority Act of 2001.
December 6, 2001 (215-214).
Congress has applied fast-track legislative procedures to approve several bilateral and
multilateral trade agreements, entered into under the applicable statutory authorities.
Table 2 lists the past uses of fast-track procedures in the implementation of trade
agreements.
Table 2. Chronology of Votes for Bills Using Fast-Track Procedures
in the Implementation of Trade Agreements

Congress
Bill and Title
Description and Comments
Votes
96th
Trade Agreements Act
Approved and implemented the
Passed House
Congress of 1979
trade agreements negotiated by the
July 11, 1979 (395-7).
(P.L. 96-39,
United States, in the Tokyo Round
Passed Senate
H.R. 4537, enacted
of multilateral trade negotiation,
July 23, 1979 (90-4).
July 26, 1979)
within the framework of the GATT.
Fast-track trade authority stemmed
from the Trade Act of 1974.
99th
United States-Israel
Approved and implemented the free
Passed House
Congress
Free Trade Area
trade area between the United
May 7, 1985 (422-0).
Implementation Act of
States and Israel, under the Trade
Passed Senate
1985 (P.L. 99-47, H.R.
and Tariff Act of 1984.
May 23, 1985 (voice
2268, enacted June 11,
vote).
1985)
100th
United States-Canada
Approved and implemented the free
Passed House
Congress
Free Trade Agreement
trade agreement between the United
August 9, 1988 (366-
Implementation Act of
States and Canada, under the Trade
40).
1988 (P.L. 100-449,
and Tariff Act of 1984.
Passed Senate
H.R. 5090, enacted
September 19, 1988
September 28, 1988)
(83-9).
103rd
North American Free
Approved and implemented the
Passed House
Congress
Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade
November 17, 1993
Implementation Act
Agreement (NAFTA) between the
(288-146).
(P.L. 103-182, H.R.
United States, Canada, and Mexico,
Passed Senate
3450, enacted
under the Omnibus Trade and
November 20, 1993
December 8, 1993)
Competitiveness Act of 1988.
(61-38).
103rd
Uruguay Round
Approved and implemented the
Passed House
Congress
Agreements Act (P.L.
trade agreements concluded in the
November 29, 1994
103-465, H.R. 5110,
Uruguay Round of multilateral
(288-146).
enacted December 8,
trade negotiations, under the
Passed Senate
1994)
Omnibus Trade and
December 1, 1994
Competitiveness Act of 1988.
(76-24).

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Resources for Additional Information
CRS Issue Brief IB10084, Trade Promotion Authority (Fast-track Authority for Trade
Agreements): Background and Developments in the 107th Congress, by Lenore Sek.
CRS Report 97-896, Why Certain Trade Agreements Are Approved as Congressional-
Executive Agreements Rather Than As Treaties, by Jeanne Grimmett.
White House Web site on “Trade Promotion Authority,” at [http://tpa.gov]. This site
provides links to statements of U.S. trade officials on trade negotiating authority for the
President. A state map provides links to government documents discussing the impact of
trade for each state.
For Members of Congress, the CRS Electronic Briefing Book (EBB) on Trade has
information on TPA, at [www.congress.gov/brbk/html/ebbtop.html].