Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 102 Part 2.djvu/888

 102 STAT. 1892

Government organization and employees.

PUBLIC LAW 100-449—SEPT. 28, 1988

(II) by substituting "the date that is 3 months after the date on which the Agreement enters into force" for "March 31 of each calendar year" in paragraph (4)(A). (b) STATUS OF PANELISTS.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, individuals appointed by the United States to serve on panels or committees convened pursuant to chapter 19 of the Agreement, and individuals designated to assist such appointed individuals, shall not be considered to be employees or special employees of, or to be otherwise affihated with, the Government of the United States. (c) IMMUNITY OF PANELISTS.—With the exception of acts described in section 777f(d)(3) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as added by this Act, individuals serving on panels or committees convened pursuant to chapter 19 of the Agreement, and individuals designated to assist the individuals serving on such panels or committees, shall be immune from suit and legal process relating to acts performed by such individuals in their official capacity and within the scope of their functions as such panelists or committee members or assistants to such panelists or committee members. (d) REGULATIONS.—The administering authority under title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930, the United States International Trade Commission, and the United States Trade Representative may promulgate such regulations as are necessary or appropriate to carry out actions in order to implement their respective responsibilities under chapters 18 and 19 of the Agreement. Initial regulations to carry out such functions shall be issued prior to the date of entry into force of the Agreement. (e) ESTABLISHMENT OF UNITED STATES SECRETARIAT.—

(1) The President is authorized to establish within any department or agency of the FedergJ Government a United States Secretariat which, subject to the oversight of the interagency group established under subsection (a)(l)(A), shall facilitate— (A) the operation of chapters 18 and 19 of the Agreement, and (B) the work of the binational panels and extraordinary challenge committees convened under chapters 18 and 19 of the Agreement. (2) The United States Secretariat established by the President under paragraph (1) shall not be considered to be an agency for purposes of section 552 of title 5, United States Code. SEC. 406. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE SECRETARIAT, THE PANELS, AND THE COMMITTEES.

(a) THE SECRETARIAT.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the department or agency within which the United States Secretariat described in chapter 19 of the Agreement is established the lesser of— (1) such sums as may be necessary, or (2) $5,000,000, for each fiscal year succeeding fiscal year 1988 for the establishment and operations of such United States Secretariat and for the payment of the United States share of the expenses of the dispute settlement proceedings under chapter 18 of the Agreement. 0>) PANELS AND COMMITTEES.—

(1) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Office of the United States Trade Representative for fiscal year 1989 such sums as may be necessary to pay during such fiscal year the United States share of the expenses of binational panels and

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