Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The Journal of Commerce Online reports that the current and immediate past commissioners of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Basham and Bonner, took a stand against scanning 100% of U.S.-bound containers at foreign seaports before they are loaded aboard ships at the recent conference sponsored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The article opines that a bill to implement the remaining recommendations of the 9/11 Commission report (which calls for 100% scanning) is expected to go to the White House before the August Congressional recess. Basham states that he and Bonner feel the concept is fundamentally flawed, and that trying to legislate 100% scanning does not make sense, and that at a minimum, Congress should be willing to wait for results from the pilot program. (JoC, dated 07/11/07, www.joc.com)
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1. Basham, Bonner Take Stand Against 100% Cargo Scanning at Foreign Seaports
2. House Votes to Strengthen Gov't Review of Critical Infrastructure Sales to Foreign Investors
The Baltimore Sun reports that nearly 18 months after the plan to sell port operations in Baltimore and other cities to Dubai Ports World ignited a furor, the House voted on July 11 to strengthen federal government review when "critical infrastructure" is transferred to foreign investors. The legislation, which drew broad support last month in the Senate, would formalize the process by which the Defense, Homeland Security and other departments screen proposed sales. Among other things, it would expand the types of transactions that would trigger additional investigation and involve the director of national intelligence in the process. It also would require, for the first time, regular reports to Congress. (Baltimore Sun, dated 07/12/07, available at http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/investing/bal-bz.ports12jul12,0,1885923.story?coll=bal-business-headlines)
3. Senate Finance Committee Leaders Criticize CBP for Failing to Submit Resource Allocation Model
The leadership of the Senate Finance Committee has sent a letter to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Basham asking why CBP missed its June 30, 2007 deadline to submit a Resource Allocation Model (RAM) to Congress as required by the Security and Accountability for Every (SAFE) Port Act of 2006. The RAM was to describe the optimal staffing levels required to carry out the commercial operations within CBP, including commercial inspection, release of cargo, and specified revenue functions. The letter concludes with the Senators noting that they intend to continue vigorous oversight of CBP's commercial functions and expect to revisit the issue later in the year. (Senate Finance Committee press release, including copy of Senators' letter, dated 06/28/07, available at http://finance.senate.gov/press/Bpress/2007press/prb062807a.pdf.)
4. Americans Overwhelmingly Support Food Labeling, According to Poll
MSNBC and Reuters report that according to a June Consumer Reports poll, U.S. consumers overwhelmingly support stricter food labeling laws, with 92 percent of Americans wanting to know which country produced the food they are buying. The article notes that the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would reopen public comment to its "country-of-origin" labeling (COOL) measure until August 20 and further states that Congress has twice delayed the start date of the 2002 meat-labeling requirement, which is now set for September 30, 2008. (MSNBC, updated 07/11/07, available at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19709686/)
5. FAS Highlights the Agricultural Benefits of the U.S.-Panama FTA
The Foreign Agricultural Service has posted to its Web site a fact sheet regarding the agricultural benefits of the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement (another term for free trade agreement). Under the U.S.-Panama TPA, which was signed on June 28, 2007 but needs to be approved and implemented by the national legislatures in both countries, tariffs on 68% of Panama's agricultural tariff lines would be eliminated upon entry into force of the agreement, with tariffs on most remaining agricultural products phased out within 15 years. (FAS Fact Sheet, dated July 2007, available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/info/factsheets/Panama/panama.asp)
6. President Waives a Military Coup-Related Provision for Pakistan
The President has issued a determination to waive a military coup-related provision (section 508) of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2006 with respect to Pakistan, as carried forward under the Continuing Appropriations Resolution of 2007 to, among other things, facilitate the transition to democratic rule in Pakistan. (Presidential Determination No. 2007-23, FR Pub 07/10/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-3373.pdf)
7. NRC, DOT Seek Proposed Issues, Etc. With IAEA Radioactive Material Regs
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Transportation have issued a notice jointly seeking proposed issues or identified problems with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material (referred to as TS-R-1). Proposed issues or identified problems submitted by the U.S. and other IAEA member states and international organizations might necessitate rulemakings by the NRC and DOT, and will be accepted until August 15, 2007. (FR Pub 07/10/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-13318.pdf)