Department of Commerce and State anti‑bribery resources and advocacy programs

important ways. Both agencies encourage USS. businesses to seek the assistance of US embassies when they are con- fronted with bribe solicitations or other corruption-related issues overseas.”? The Department of Commerce offers a num- ber of important resources for businesses, including the International Trade Administration’s United States and Foreign Commercial Service (Commercial Service). The Commercial Service has export and industry specialists located in over 100 US. cities and 70 countries who are available to provide counseling and other assistance to US. businesses, particularly small and medium-sized companies, regarding exporting their products and services. Among other things, these specialists can help a U.S. company con- duct due diligence when choosing business partners or agents overseas. The International Company Profile Program, for instance, can be part of a US. business’ evaluation of poten- tial overseas business partners. Businesses may contact the Commercial Service through its website, http://export.gov/ eac/, or directly at its domestic and foreign offices.” Additionally, che Department of Commerce’s Office of the General Counsel maintains a website, http://www. commerce.gov/os/oge/transparency-and-anti-bribery- initiatives, that contains recent articles and speeches, links to translations of the FCPA, a catalogue of anti-corruption resources, and a list of international conventions and ini- tiatives. The Trade Compliance Center in the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration hosts a website with anti-bribery resources, http://tcc.export. gov/Bribery. This website contains an online form through which U.S. companies can report allegations of foreign bribery by foreign competitors in international business transactions.”° The Department of Commerce also pro- vides information to companies through a number of USS. and international publications designed to assist firms in complying with anti-corruption laws. For example, the Department of Commerce has included a new anti-corrup- tion section in its Country Commercial Guides, prepared by market experts at U.S. embassies worldwide, that contains information on market conditions for more than 100 coun- tries, including information on the FCPA for exporters.” Introduction The Department of Commerce has also published a guide, Business Ethics: A Manual for Managing a Responsible Business Enterprise in Emerging Market Economies, which contains information about corporate compliance pro- grams for businesses involved in international trade.” The Departments of Commerce and State also pro- vide advocacy support, when determined to be in the national interest, for U.S. companies bidding for foreign government contracts. The Department of Commerce’s Advocacy Center, for example, supports US. businesses competing against foreign companies for international con- tracts, such as by arranging for the delivery of an advocacy message by US. government officials or assisting with unan- ticipated problems such as suspected bribery by a competi- tor.” The Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (specifically, its Office of Commercial and Business Affairs) similarly assists U.S. firms doing business overseas by providing advocacy on behalf of US. businesses and identifying risk areas for U.S. businesses; more infor- mation is available on its website, http://www.state.gov/e/ eb/cba/. Also, the Department of State’s economic officers serving overseas provide commercial advocacy and support for U.S. companies at the many overseas diplomatic posts where the Commercial Service is not represented. The Department of State promotes U.S. government interests in addressing corruption internationally through country-to-country diplomatic engagement; development of and follow-through on international commitments relat- ing to corruption; promotion of high-level political engage- ment (e.g. the G20 Anticorruption Action Plan); public outreach in foreign countries; and support for building the capacity of foreign partners to combat corruption. In fiscal year 2009, the U.S. government provided more than $1 billion for anti-corruption and related good governance assistance abroad. HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_022508