The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a final rule, effective May 24, 2006, which amends 9 CFR 381.196(b) by adding China to the list of countries eligible to export processed poultry products from approved sources to the U.S.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a proposed rule that would amend 19 CFR Parts 24 and 111 by increasing the fees charged for certain customs inspectional services under section 13031 of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (COBRA).
Self-labeled copyfighters are girding for battle with House IP Subcommittee Chmn. Smith (R-Tex.) and Judiciary Chmn. Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) over the Intellectual Property Protection Act of 2006, circulating in draft form at Smith’s behest (WID April 25 p7). The bill would increase penalties for copyright infringement and add intent to infringe as a punishable offense on the same level as actual infringement. It would also classify as “trafficking” possession of devices that circumvent DRM tools with intent to distribute, a provision that has a prominent security researcher up in arms. Current law bans actual distribution of such devices, not private use for research.
Mocking what it termed other filers’ “nonsensical” read of the Copyright Act, DoJ said in a file-sharing brief Fri. that Internet distribution clearly comes under the Act’s treatment of the distribution right pertaining to “material objects.” The Elektra v. Barker defendant and Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) have said the definition of “copies and phonorecords” in the law excludes network transmission of copyrighted works, a claim that spurred DoJ to tell the U.S. Dist. Court, N.Y. it might intervene (WID April 6 p12). Court precedent and congressional intent line up with its argument, DoJ said.
The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has posted guidance on importing and exporting shellfish, fish, and fishery products. FWS states that it has issued this guidance because of confusion about its exemption of certain imports and exports of certain shellfish and fishery products from port, declaration, and clearance requirements.
Citing forecasts that the hurricane season beginning in June will be as destructive as last year’s, communications and electric power providers have urged President Bush to ensure that key telecom and power personnel be designated as emergency responders. The Telecom & Electric Power Interdependency Task Force (TEPITF) set up by the National Security Telecom Advisory Committee (NSTAC) has recommended several “near-term” measures that “require immediate” action from the federal govt. Telecom qualified for zero priority in power restoration in the Gulf states ravaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and also were hobbled in service restoration efforts by EPA restrictions on diesel storage and generator exhaust emissions as well as security issues(CD Oct 11 p3).
Designated entity rules for the advanced wireless services auction seem in flux, with short form applications due May 10 and the auction set to start June 29. The FCC has 2 choices, sources said: approve rules consistent with a further notice of proposed rulemaking, or not propose any changes to DE rules before the auction. “There may still be negotiating going on,” one source said: “I wouldn’t read too much in the tea leaves.” The source said Chmn. Martin has yet to lay out a clear “drop dead” date by which time DE rules must be approved for the auction to proceed as planned.
Despite the media savvy of terrorists and their heavy use of the Internet for organizing and recruiting, the first response of govts. and private hackers shouldn’t be to shut down their websites, a researcher said Wed. Gabriel Weimann, Haifa U. Dept. of Communication chmn., stunned a New America Foundation crowd with screenshots from terrorist Web pages intended to appeal to Muslim women and children. But the author of the new book Terror on the Internet, based on an 8- year study, warned that blanket shutdowns could starve intelligence officials and academics of much-needed information on how loose collections of terrorists work. Better to monitor networks and encourage peaceful members of groups linked with terrorism to challenge their violent associates for influence in cyberspace, he said.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a notice stating that it is planning to host a public workshop on May 3, 2006 to discuss the Appliance Labeling Rule (Rule, 16 CFR Part 305), including certain energy and/or conservation labeling requirements, for consumer appliances and certain other consumer products.
The FCC Wed. adopted long awaited rules on educational institutions’ leasing broadband radio service (BRS)and educational broadband service (EBS) spectrum to firms planning to use the spectrum for wireless broadband. Firms anxious to roll out wireless broadband networks on the spectrum scored key wins, but many details remain unclear. Comr. Copps voiced deep concerns about the order.