Us Code § 4646 - Petition process
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 4646 — Petition process, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 4646. Petition process
(a) In general
The Interagency Labor Committee shall establish procedures for submissions by the public of information with respect to potential failures to implement the labor obligations of a USMCA country.
(b) Facility-specific petitions
With respect to information submitted in accordance with the procedures established under subsection (a) accompanying a petition relating to a denial of rights at a covered facility, as such terms are defined for purposes of Annex 31–A of the USMCA:
(1) The Interagency Labor Committee shall review such information within 30 days of submission and shall determine whether there is sufficient, credible evidence of a denial of rights (as so defined) enabling the good-faith invocation of enforcement mechanisms.
(2) If the Committee reaches a negative determination under paragraph (1), the Committee shall certify such determination to the appropriate congressional committees and the petitioner.
(3) If the Committee reaches an affirmative determination under paragraph (1), the Trade Representative shall submit a request for review, in accordance with article 31–A.4 of such Annex, with respect to the covered facility and shall inform the petitioner and the appropriate congressional committees of the submission of such request.
(4) Not later than 60 days after the date of an affirmative determination under paragraph (1), the Trade Representative shall—
(A) determine whether to request the establishment of a rapid response labor panel in accordance with such Annex; and
(B) if such determination is negative, certify such determination to the appropriate congressional committees in conjunction with the reasons for such determination and the details of any agreed-upon remediation plan.
(c) Other petitions
With respect to information submitted in accordance with the procedures established under subsection (a) accompanying a petition relating to any other violation of the labor obligations of a USMCA country:
(1) The Interagency Labor Committee shall review such information not later than 20 days after the date of the submission and shall determine whether the information warrants further review.
(2) If the Committee reaches an affirmative determination under paragraph (1), such further review shall focus exclusively on determining, not later than 60 days after the date of such submission, whether there is sufficient, credible evidence that the USMCA country is in violation of its labor obligations, for purposes of initiating enforcement action under chapter 23 or chapter 31 of the USMCA.
(3) If the Committee reaches an affirmative determination under paragraph (2), the Trade Representative shall—
(A) not later than 60 days after the date of the determination of the Committee, initiate appropriate enforcement action under such chapter 23 or chapter 31; or
(B) submit to the appropriate congressional committees a notification including the reasons for which action was not initiated within such 60-day period.
(Pub. L. 116–113, title VII, §716, Jan. 29, 2020, 134 Stat. 83.)
About This Section
19 U.S.C. § 4646 is part of Title 19 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 19 U.S.C. § 4646. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.