
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 22USC2431]

 
               TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE
 
                     CHAPTER 32--FOREIGN ASSISTANCE
 
  SUBCHAPTER IV--DEBT REDUCTION FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WITH TROPICAL 
                                 FORESTS
 
Sec. 2431. Findings and purposes


(a) Findings

    The Congress finds the following:
        (1) It is the established policy of the United States to support 
    and seek protection of tropical forests around the world.
        (2) Tropical forests provide a wide range of benefits to 
    humankind by--
            (A) harboring a major share of the Earth's biological and 
        terrestrial resources, which are the basis for developing 
        pharmaceutical products and revitalizing agricultural crops;
            (B) playing a critical role as carbon sinks in reducing 
        greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, thus moderating potential 
        global climate change; and
            (C) regulating hydrological cycles on which far-flung 
        agricultural and coastal resources depend.

        (3) International negotiations and assistance programs to 
    conserve forest resources have proliferated over the past decade, 
    but the rapid rate of tropical deforestation continues unabated.
        (4) Developing countries with urgent needs for investment and 
    capital for development have allocated a significant amount of their 
    forests to logging concessions.
        (5) Poverty and economic pressures on the populations of 
    developing countries have, over time, resulted in clearing of vast 
    areas of forest for conversion to agriculture, which is often 
    unsustainable in the poor soils underlying tropical forests.
        (6) Debt reduction can reduce economic pressures on developing 
    countries and result in increased protection for tropical forests.
        (7) Finding economic benefits to local communities from 
    sustainable uses of tropical forests is critical to the protection 
    of tropical forests.

(b) Purposes

    The purposes of this subchapter are--
        (1) to recognize the values received by United States citizens 
    from protection of tropical forests;
        (2) to facilitate greater protection of tropical forests (and to 
    give priority to protecting tropical forests with the highest levels 
    of biodiversity and under the most severe threat) by providing for 
    the alleviation of debt in countries where tropical forests are 
    located, thus allowing the use of additional resources to protect 
    these critical resources and reduce economic pressures that have led 
    to deforestation;
        (3) to ensure that resources freed from debt in such countries 
    are targeted to protection of tropical forests and their associated 
    values; and
        (4) to rechannel existing resources to facilitate the protection 
    of tropical forests.

(Pub. L. 87-195, pt. V, Sec. 802, as added Pub. L. 105-214, Sec. 1, July 
29, 1998, 112 Stat. 885.)


                            Prior Provisions

    A prior section 2431, Pub. L. 87-195, pt. V, Sec. 801, as added Pub. 
L. 93-189, Sec. 24, Dec. 17, 1973, 87 Stat. 728, authorized the 
President to furnish assistance for relief and reconstruction of South 
Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 94-329, title 
IV, Sec. 413(a), June 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 761.
    A prior section 802 of Pub. L. 87-195, pt. V, was classified to 
section 2432 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 94-329.


                               Short Title

    For short title of this subchapter as the ``Tropical Forest 
Conservation Act of 1998'', see section 801 of Pub. L. 87-195, set out 
as a note under section 2151 of this title.
