Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

September 26, 2008 |Top News

On September 23, 2008, the House passed the Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2008, Part II (H.R. 6984), a bill to amend title 49, U.S. Code, to extend authorizations for the airport improvement program and to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the funding and expenditure authority of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. (Congressional Record, dated 09/23/08, available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r110:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20080923).)

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1. House Passes FAA Extension Act

2. Senate Passes Extension of Certain Homeland Security Act Authorities

On September 23, 2008, the Senate amended and passed S. 3328, a bill to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for a one-year extension of other transaction authority. (Congressional Record, dated 09/23/08, available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r110:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20080923).)

3. Senate Committee Reports Bill to Improve Bridge Safety

On September 23, 2008, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works reported H.R. 3999, a bill to amend title 23, United States Code, to improve the safety of Federal-aid highway bridges, to strengthen bridge inspection standards and processes, to increase investment in the reconstruction of structurally deficient bridges on the National Highway System. (Congressional Record, dated 09/23/08, available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r110:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20080923).)

4. Senate Committee Reports AECA, Etc. Appropriations Bill

On September 24, 2008, S. 3563, a bill to authorize appropriations under the Arms Export Control Act and the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for security assistance for fiscal years 2009 and 2010, was reported. (Congressional Record, dated 09/24/08, available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r110:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20080924).)

5. Senate Committee Orders DHS Bill Reported

On September 23, 2008, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee ordered favorably reported H.R. 2631, a bill to strengthen efforts in the Department of Homeland Security to develop nuclear forensics capabilities to permit attribution of the source of nuclear material, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. (Congressional Record, dated 09/23/08, available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r110:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20080923).)

6. Senate Committee Concludes Hearing on U.S.-Korea Auto Trade

On September 24, 2008, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee's Subcommittee on Interstate Commerce, Trade, and Tourism concluded a hearing to examine the imbalance in U.S.-Korea automobile trade, after receiving testimony from various witnesses. (Congressional Record, dated 09/24/08, available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r110:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20080924).)

7. Senate Committee Concludes Hearing on Visa Waiver Program

On September 24, 2008, the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security concluded a hearing to examine the Visa Waiver Program, focusing on actions needed to improve management of the expansion process and to assess and mitigate risks to ensure the safety of all Americans. (Congressional Record, dated 09/24/08, available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r110:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20080924).)

8. MCC Summary, Text of Amendment to MCC between U.S, Mali

The Millennium Challenge Corporation is publishing a summary, justification and the complete text of the Amendment to Millennium Challenge Compact between the U.S. and Mali. Representatives of the two countries executed the amendment documents on September 11, 2008. (Notice, FR Pub 09/24/08, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-22431.pdf.)

9. FY 2009 Major Drug Transit/Illicit Drug Producing Countries

President Bush issued a determination identifying the following major drug transit or major illicit drug producing countries for FY 2009: Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela. (Presidential Determination No. 2008-28, FR Pub 09/24/08, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-22590.pdf.)

10. Foreign Trade Zones Board Notice

The Foreign-Trade Zone Board issued the following: FTZ 38 - Spartanburg County, SC - Approval of Manufacturing Authority for Kittel Supplier USA, Inc. (Automotive Roof/Luggage Racks)

11. President Attends UN Meeting on Food Security

The White House has posted President Bush's comments that he made during the recent United Nations meeting on food security. (President's comments, dated 09/23/08, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080923-10.html.)

12. Former Alcatel Executive Sentenced for Paying Bribes

The Justice Department reports that a former Alcatel CIT executive was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for engaging in a bribery scheme to obtain a mobile telephone contract from the state-owned telecommunications authority in Costa Rica by making more than $2.5 million in corrupt payments to Costa Rican officials, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). (Press release, dated 09/23/08, available at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2008/September/08-crm-848.html.)

13. Nexus Technologies, Employees Accused of Paying Bribes

The Justice Department posted an indictment, in which it alleges that Nexus Technologies, Inc. and certain of its employees bribed Vietnamese foreign officials in violation of the FCPA. (Indictment, filed 09/04/08, available at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/pae/News/Pr/2008/sep/nguyenetalind.pdf.)

14. WTO Organized Symposium on Mode 4 of GATS

At the request of the Special Session of the Council for Trade in Services, the WTO organized a symposium on Mode 4 of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) (i.e., the movement of persons across borders for the purpose of supplying services) on September 22-23, 2008. (WTO notice available at http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/serv_e/mouvement_persons_e/sym_sept08_e/sym_sept08_e.htm.)

15. 16 Foreign Nationals, Corporations Indicted on Charges of Illegally Exporting to Iran

Immigration and Customs Enforcement reports that a federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging eight individuals and eight corporations in connection with their participation in conspiracies to export U.S.-manufactured commodities to prohibited entities and to Iran. The defendants are named in a 13-count Indictment that includes charges of conspiracy, violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the U.S. Iran Embargo, and making false statements to federal agencies in connection with the export of thousands of U.S. goods to Iran. (ICE press release, dated 09/17/08, available at http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/serv_e/mouvement_persons_e/sym_sept08_e/sym_sept08_e.htm.)

16. Ag Secretary Leads Agribusiness Trade Mission to Central America

Agriculture Secretary Schafer will lead a U.S. Agribusiness Trade and Investment Mission to the Central American region Sept. 21-24, 2008 to further promote two-way cooperation, trade and investment between the U.S. and companies in Central America and the Dominican Republic. (USDA press release, dated 09/18/08, available at http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0809/080917miami.htm.)

17. Revised FDA Import Alerts

The Food and Drug Administration issued revised versions of the following Import Alerts:

Detention Without Physical Examination of Cantaloupes from Mexico (22-01)

Detention Without Physical Examination of Electronic Products that Fail to Comply with Performance Standards or to Which is Not Affixed a Certification in the Form of a Label or Tag in Conformity with Section 534(h) (99-05)

Detention Without Physical Examination of Raw Agricultural Products for Pesticides

Detention Without Physical Examination and Guidance of Foods Containing Illegal and/or Undeclared Colors (45-02)

Detention Without Physical Examination of Fish and Fishery Products Where the Foreign Processor has Failed to Comply with Seafood HACCP (16-120)

Detention Without Physical Examination of Devices that Have Not Met GMP's (89-04)

Detention Without Physical Examination of Refrigerated (Not Frozen) Vacuum Packaged or Modified Atmosphere Package Raw Fish and Fishery Products Due to the Potential for Clostridium Botulinum Toxin Production (16-125)

18. FAS' Global Agriculture Information Network Reports

The Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:

Trinidad and Tobago FAIRS Country Report: Annual

Thailand Grain and Feed: New Intervention Program Announced, Current Program Expanded

Thailand Agricultural Situation: Sawasdee Thailand - Issue 8/2008

Thailand Sanitary/Phytosanitary/Food Safety: Thailand's Phytosanitary Certificate Requirement for Waiver Commodities Initially Lax