[Congressional Bills 103th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 259 Introduced in House (IH)] 103d CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 259 To require that the President negotiate with Japan an agreement whereby Japan reimburses the United States for a portion of the costs the United States incurs in providing a military defense of Japan. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 5, 1993 Mr. Neal of North Carolina introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require that the President negotiate with Japan an agreement whereby Japan reimburses the United States for a portion of the costs the United States incurs in providing a military defense of Japan. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS. The Congress finds the following: (1) Japan has prospered greatly under the security umbrella provided by the United States and has risen from the devastation of World War II to become an economic superpower with the third largest gross national product in the world. (2) The security of Asia and the free world is critical to the continued prosperity of Japan. (3) Japan contributes proportionately less to its defense than any other major industrialized nation. (4) Constitutional, political, and psychological constraints limit the extent to which Japan can increase its own defense program. (5) Japan enjoyed a $43,500,000,000 balance of trade surplus with the United States in 1991. (6) The United States taxpayer cannot be expected to shoulder indefinitely a disproportionate share of the burden of defending Japan and the free world. (7) The current inequitable financial commitment made by Japan to its defense and that of the free world threatens to undermine its relations with the United States. (8) Continued good relations between the United States and Japan are mutually beneficial and critical to the security and economic well-being of the free world. (9) It would be unwise for Japan to dramatically increase the level of its own defense forces to meet modern security needs and commitments. (10) The people of Japan would undoubtedly welcome the opportunity to pay a fair share for the defense of their country. SEC. 2. ANNUAL SECURITY FEE PAID TO THE UNITED STATES. (a) Negotiations with Japan.--Within 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the President shall seek to enter into negotiations with the Government of Japan for the purpose of reaching an agreement that would require the Government of Japan to pay to the United States each year an annual security fee in an amount equal to three percent of the annual gross national product of Japan for the preceding year less the amount actually spent by the Government of Japan for defense during that year. (b) Notification to the Congress.--Within one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall notify the Congress whether an agreement as described in subsection (a) has been reached with the Government of Japan. (c) Failure of Japan to Compensate the United States.--If the President notifies the Congress under subsection (b) that such an agreement has not been reached or if the Congress determines that such an agreement does not satisfy the requirements of subsection (a), the Congress should consider legislation imposing on products of Japan imported into the United States an import duty which would be in addition to any other duty that is imposed under law. The additional import duty shall be structured so that it would generate revenue in an amount equal to the annual security fee described in subsection (a). <all>