Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
On July 29, 2006, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4, the Pension Protection Act of 2006. According to a Textile Development Memo (TDM) from the U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA), H.R. 4 contains Dominican Republic-Central America-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) fixes, a continuation of the Wool Trust program, a "new shipper" provision, etc. See future issues of ITT for additional details on H.R. 4. (House Ways and Means Committee press release, dated 07/29/06, available at http://waysandmeans.house.gov/news.asp?formmode=release&id=419; USA-ITA TDM, dated 07/31/06, www.usita.com.)
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1. House-Passed Pension Bill Includes DR-CAFTA Fixes, Wool and New Shipper Provisions, Etc.
2. USTR Declines to Accept Section 301 Petition on Chinese Workers' Rights
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a statement announcing its decision not to accept a Section 301 petition on Chinese workers' rights filed by the AFL-CIO. The USTR notes that this petition is similar to an earlier petition filed in April 2004, which was also rejected. The USTR states that the U.S. will continue to address the issue of workers' rights in a variety of ways with China. (See ITT's Online Archives or 05/19/04 news, 04051950, for BP summary of USTR's decision not to initiate a review based on the April 2004 petition.)(USTR Pub 07/21/06, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2006/July/Statement_from_USTR_Spokesman_Regarding_China_Labor_Petition.html)
3. DHS Releases Updated US-VISIT Privacy Assessment
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a notice announcing that it has updated and is making available its Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program (US-VISIT) privacy impact assessment, which discusses the impact of program change on privacy. The assessment is available on DHS' website at www.dhs.gov/privacy. (DHS notice, FR Pub 07/27/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-11994.pdf)
4. DHS' Proposes Rule to Extend U.S.-VISIT Requirements
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a proposed rule that would, among other things, extend its Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) program requirements to all aliens with the exception of aliens who are specifically exempted and Canadian citizens applying for admission as B1/B2 visitors for business or pleasure. Written comments must be submitted on or before August 28, 2006. (DHS notice, D/N DHS-2005-0037, FR Pub 07/27/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-11993.pdf)