text: SECTION 1. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ASSEMBLY OF THE AMERICAS.
  
      (a) Establishment and Meetings.--Not to exceed 13 Members of 
  Congress shall be appointed to meet jointly and at least annually and 
  when Congress is not in session (except that this restriction shall not 
  apply to meetings held in the United States) with representative 
  parliamentary groups from other countries in the Americas for the 
  purposes of--
              (1) discussing common problems and interests in 
          intellectual and industrial property; and
              (2) initiating and promoting such national and multilateral 
          measures as may further common interests in intellectual and 
          industrial property.
      (b) Appointment of United States Delegation.--For each meeting of 
  the Intellectual Property Assembly of the Americas, there shall be 
  appointed a United States Delegation, as follows:
              (1) In 1998 and every even-numbered year thereafter--
                      (A) 7 members shall be appointed by the Speaker of 
                  the House of Representatives from Members of the House 
                  of Representatives (3 of whom, including the 
                  Chairperson of the United States Delegation, shall be 
                  from the Committee on International Relations and 4 of 
                  whom shall be from the Committee on the Judiciary); and
                      (B) 6 members shall, upon recommendations of the 
                  majority and minority leaders of the Senate, be 
                  appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate 
                  from Members of the Senate (2 of whom, including the 
                  Vice Chairperson of the United States Delegation, shall 
                  be from the Committee on Foreign Relations and 4 of 
                  whom shall be from the Committee on the Judiciary, 
                  unless the President pro tempore of the Senate, upon 
                  recommendations of the majority and minority leaders of 
                  the Senate, determines otherwise).
          Such appointments shall be for the period of each meeting of 
          the Intellectual Property Assembly of the Americas.
              (2) In every odd-numbered year beginning in 1999--
                      (A) 7 members shall, upon recommendations of the 
                  majority and minority leaders of the Senate, be 
                  appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate 
                  from Members of the Senate (3 of whom, including the 
                  Chairperson of the United States Delegation, shall be 
                  from the Committee on Foreign Relations and 4 of whom 
                  shall be from the Committee on the Judiciary, unless 
                  the President pro tempore of the Senate, upon 
                  recommendations of the majority and minority leaders of 
                  the Senate, determines otherwise); and
                      (B) 6 members shall be appointed by the Speaker of 
                  the House of Representatives from Members of the House 
                  of Representatives (2 of whom, including the Vice 
                  Chairperson of the United States Delegation, shall be 
                  from the Committee on the Judiciary).
          Such appointments shall be for the period of each meeting of 
          the Intellectual Property Assembly of the Americas.
      (c) Administrative Support.--For the purpose of providing general 
  staff support, each United States Delegation shall have 2 secretaries 
  (1 of whom shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Delegation and 
  1 of whom shall be appointed by the Vice Chairperson of the 
  Delegation).
      (d) Funding.--
              (1) United states participation.--There is authorized to be 
          appropriated for each fiscal year the sum of $60,000 to assist 
          in meeting the expenses of the United States Delegation. For 
          each fiscal year for which an appropriation is made under this 
          subsection, half of such appropriation may be disbursed on 
          vouchers to be approved by the Chairperson and half of such 
          appropriation may be disbursed on vouchers to be approved by 
          the Vice Chairperson.
              (2) Availability of appropriations.--Amounts appropriated 
          pursuant to this subsection are authorized to remain available 
          until expended.
      (e) Annual Report.--The United States Delegation shall, for each 
  fiscal year for which an appropriation is made pursuant to this 
  section, submit to the Congress a report that includes its expenditures 
  under such appropriation. The certificate of the Chairperson and Vice 
  Chairperson of the United States Delegation shall be final and 
  conclusive upon the accounting officers in the auditing of the accounts 
  of the United States Delegation.
      (f) Funding for Expenses of Annual Meetings.--In addition to the 
  amounts authorized by subsection (d), there is authorized to be 
  appropriated the sum of $100,000 for fiscal year 1998 to meet the 
  expenses incurred by the United States Delegation in hosting the first 
  annual meeting of the Intellectual Property Assembly of the Americas. 
  Amounts appropriated under this subsection are authorized to remain 
  available until expended.
  
  SEC. 2. REPORTS OF EXPENDITURES; CONFORMING AMENDMENT.
  
      Section 105(b) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1961 
  (22 U.S.C. 276c-1), is amended by inserting ``the Intellectual Property 
  Assembly of the Americas,'' after ``the Mexico-United States 
  Interparliamentary Group,''.
target: Provides for appointment of a U.S. Delegation (consisting of 13 Members of Congress) to the Intellectual Property Assembly of the Americas, which shall meet annually with representative parliamentary groups from other countries in the Americas to:  (1) discuss common problems and interests in intellectual and industrial property; and (2) promote national and multilateral measures that may further common interests in such property.  Authorizes appropriations.
feat_title: To establish the Intellectual Property Assembly of the Americas and to provide for participation in the Assembly by the United States Delegation.