text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``African Free Trade Initiative Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS WITH SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN COUNTRIES.
  
      (a) Plan Requirements and Reporting.--Section 116 of the African 
  Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3723) is amended by striking 
  subsections (b) and (c) and inserting the following:
      ``(b) Plan Requirement.--
              ``(1) In general.--The President shall develop a plan for 
          the purpose of negotiating and entering into one or more free 
          trade agreements with all sub-Saharan African countries. The 
          plan shall identify the 15 countries or groups of countries 
          that are most ready for a free trade agreement with the United 
          States.
              ``(2) Elements of plan.--The plan required by paragraph (1) 
          shall include, for each sub-Saharan African country, the 
          following:
                      ``(A) The steps such sub-Saharan African country 
                  needs to be equipped and ready to enter into a free 
                  trade agreement with the United States, including the 
                  development of a bilateral investment treaty.
                      ``(B) Milestones for accomplishing each step 
                  identified in subparagraph (A) for each sub-Saharan 
                  African country, with the goal of establishing a free 
                  trade agreement with each sub-Saharan African country 
                  not later than 10 years after the date of the enactment 
                  of the African Free Trade Initiative Act.
                      ``(C) A description of the resources required to 
                  assist each sub-Saharan African country in 
                  accomplishing each milestone described in subparagraph 
                  (B).
                      ``(D) The extent to which steps described in 
                  subparagraph (A), the milestones described in 
                  subparagraph (B), and resources described in 
                  subparagraph (C) may be accomplished through regional 
                  or subregional organizations in sub-Saharan Africa, 
                  including the East African Community, the Economic 
                  Community of West African States, the Common Market for 
                  Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Economic Community 
                  of Central African States.
                      ``(E) Procedures to ensure the following:
                              ``(i) Adequate consultation with Congress 
                          and the private sector during the negotiations.
                              ``(ii) Consultation with Congress regarding 
                          all matters relating to implementation of the 
                          agreement or agreements.
                              ``(iii) Approval by Congress of the 
                          agreement or agreements.
                              ``(iv) Adequate consultations with the 
                          relevant African governments and African 
                          regional and subregional intergovernmental 
                          organizations during the negotiation of the 
                          agreement or agreements.
      ``(c) Reporting Requirement.--Not later than 12 months after the 
  date of the enactment of the African Free Trade Initiative Act, the 
  President shall prepare and transmit to Congress a report containing 
  the plan developed pursuant to subsection (b).''.
      (b) Millennium Challenge Compacts.--After the date of the enactment 
  of this Act, the United States Trade Representative and Administrator 
  of the United States Agency for International Development shall consult 
  and coordinate with the Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium 
  Challenge Corporation regarding countries that have entered into a 
  Millennium Challenge Compact pursuant to section 609 of the Millennium 
  Challenge Act of 2003 (22 U.S.C. 7708) that have been declared eligible 
  to enter into such a Compact for the purpose of developing and carrying 
  out the plan required by subsection (b) of section 116 of the African 
  Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3723), as amended by subsection 
  (a).
  
  SEC. 3. COORDINATION OF USAID WITH FREE TRADE AGREEMENT POLICY.
  
      (a) Authorization of Funds.--Funds made available after the date of 
  enactment of this Act to the United States Agency for International 
  Development under section 496 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
  U.S.C. 2293) may be used in consultation with the United States Trade 
  Representative--
              (1) to carry out subsection (b) of section 116 of the 
          African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3723), as amended 
          by section 2(a), including for the deployment of resources in 
          individual eligible countries to assist such country in the 
          development of institutional capacities to carry out such 
          subsection (b); and
              (2) to coordinate the efforts of the United States to 
          establish free trade agreements in accordance with the policy 
          set out in subsection (a) of such section 116.
      (b) Definitions.--In this section:
              (1) Eligible country.--The term ``eligible country'' means 
          a sub-Saharan African country that receives--
                      (A) benefits under the African Growth and 
                  Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.); and
                      (B) funding from the United States Agency for 
                  International Development.
              (2) Sub-saharan african country.--The term ``sub-Saharan 
          African country'' has the meaning given that term in section 
          107 of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3706).
target: African Free Trade Initiative Act This bill amends the African Growth and Opportunity Act to revise certain plan and reporting requirements relating to the President's negotiating and entering into free trade agreements with interested beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries. The President shall develop a plan for negotiating and entering into one or more free trade agreements with 15 of the sub-Saharan African countries that are most ready for a free trade agreement with the United States. The United States Trade Representative and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) shall coordinate with the Millennium Challenge Corporation regarding countries with shared development objectives that have entered into a Millennium Challenge Compact in order to develop and carry out such plans. USAID long-term development assistance funds for sub-Saharan Africa may be used to:  carry out plans, including deployment of resources in individual eligible sub-Saharan African countries to assist them in the development of institutional capacities to carry out those plans; and  coordinate U.S. efforts to establish free trade agreements in order to increase trade between the United States and sub-Saharan African countries, as well as investment in those countries. 
feat_title: African Free Trade Initiative Act