Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
According to the Congressional Record, on April 26, 2006, the House Homeland Security Committee amended and ordered reported H.R. 4954, the Security and Accountability for Every (SAFE) Port Act. The Journal of Commerce reports that during the mark-up, the Committee rejected a proposal that would require scanning of all containers at foreign ports before loading on U.S.-bound ships. However, the Committee did adopt an alternative proposal that would require DHS to evaluate "emerging technology" to determine if it is effective for supply-chain security. (Congressional Record, dated 04/26/06, available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r109:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20060426); JoC Online, dated 04/27/06, www.joc.com.)
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1. House Homeland Security Committee Amends and Orders Reported the SAFE Port Act Without a 100% Scanning Amendment
2. BIS Reports $14.5 Million in Fines, Sanctions in FY 2005 for Violations
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has posted a report detailing some of the major export violation cases from Fiscal Year (FY) 2005. According to BIS, from October 1, 2004 to September 30, 2005, its investigations resulted in 31 criminal convictions and criminal fines totaling $7.7 million. In that same period, BIS states that it also imposed more than $6.8 million in administrative penalties, 31 export denial orders, and other administrative sanctions as a result of 69 closed administrative enforcement cases. (BIS report on major cases, dated April 2006, available at http://www.bis.doc.gov/ComplianceAndEnforcement/Majorcaselist.pdf)
3. AMS Seeks Comments on Standards for Grades of Bunched Italian Sprouting Broccoli
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has issued a notice soliciting comments on a proposal to revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of Bunched Italian Sprouting Broccoli. AMS notes that the current U.S. grade standards do not have provisions for grading broccoli crowns and florets. Comments due by May 1, 2006. (D/N FV-05-303, FR Pub 02/28/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-2769.pdf)