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“DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE, THE JUDICIARY, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Senate section on pages S8594 on July 20, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE, THE JUDICIARY, AND RELATED
AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999
Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I ask that the pending business be temporarily set aside and that S. 2260, the Commerce-State-Justice appropriations bill, be laid before the Senate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will report.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 2260) making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
funding for the organization for economic cooperation and development
Mr. ROBB. Madam President, I would like to call my colleagues' attention to one of the international organizations being funded by the Commerce-State-Justice Appropriation bill, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
As many of my colleagues areaware, the OECD has its origins in the Marshall plan. While its original mandate was to help rebuild post-War Europe, over the years, the OECD has taught us that nations through economic cooperation can take charge of their own destinies. Article 1 of the OECD Convention clearly states its mission, which is to have its member nations achieve the highest sustainable economic growth and employment, to contribute to sound economic expansion in Member as well as non-member nations, and to contribute to the expansion of world trade on a multilateral, non-discriminatory basis. These goals are as relevant today as they were when the OECD was founded.
The current work of the OECD spans the horizon. A few issues that are important to this Congress that the OECD is working on are the Asian economic crisis, the Anti-Bribery Convention and crytography policy. OECD economic surveys, its twice-yearly Economic Outlook and its countless statistics on a wide range of economic activities are important sources of information for us as we meet the challenges of the global economy.
But the OECD has also understood that in today's tough budgetary environment, there is a real need to make cuts. And organization officials have taken these necessary steps. The OECD is decreasing its budget which to date includes a reduction of 180 staff, more than 10% of its total. Clearly, the OECD gets the message and deserves credit for its efforts.
I urge the committee and the administration to fully fund the OECD. It continues to make a valuable contribution, and is willing to implement the kinds of reforms that should only increase its efficiency and productivity.
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