To authorize the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (most-favored-nation treatment) to the products of Bulgaria.
Public Law 104-162 · H.R. 2853 · 104th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Jul 18, 1996 · Foreign Trade and International Finance
Sponsor: Rep. Phil Crane (R-IL-8)
Cosponsors (2): Rep. Charlie Rangel, Rep. Thomas Ewing
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Notes that the U.S. Trade Representative intends to negotiate with Bulgaria in order to preserve the commitments of that country under the bilateral commercial agreement in effect between that country and the United States that are consistent with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the World Trade Organization.
Authorizes the President to: (1) determine that title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 (denying nondiscriminatory treatment to the products of certain countries) should no longer apply to Bulgaria; and (2) based upon such determination, extend nondiscriminatory treatment (most-favored-nation treatment) to Bulgaria's products.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Ways and Means Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Trade Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.
- Jul 18, 1996Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-162.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 8, 1996PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jun 28, 1996FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- May 9, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Finance Committee
- May 8, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Finance Committee
- Mar 6, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Finance Committee
- Mar 5, 1996FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Crane objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Crane moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Feb 29, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Ways and Means Committee
- Feb 28, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Ways and Means Committee
- Feb 26, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Trade Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee
- Jan 18, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Trade Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee
- Jan 5, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Ways and Means Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.