In her visit to El Salvador, Labor Secretary Solis announced a new U.S. contribution of $10 million to support the Salvadoran government’s efforts to combat and eradicate child labor. The project will address the issue of child labor in an integrated manner by focusing on the entire family, including both parents and children. It also will work in a coordinated fashion with other ILO programs such as the Global Jobs Pact and initiatives that promote decent work for adults so that they do not need to rely on their children for survival. Solis noted that El Salvador has been at the forefront of global efforts to combat child labor. In 2000 it was one of the first countries in the world, and the first in Latin America, to commit itself to a time-bound program to combat the worst forms of child labor.
At the State Department's July 30, 2010 press briefing, the agency stated that its Juarez Consulate is a major component of the U.S. government's ability to process visa applications for Mexicans wishing to come to the U.S. The State Department is reviewing its security posture at the consulate. It was closed on July 30 as part of that review. There is some threat information that the Department has received that it is evaluating.
U.S. Trade Representative Kirk announced that the U.S. is deeply concerned that the Government of Peru has not yet taken all necessary steps to ensure complete implementation of the Annex on Forest Sector Governance under the Peru Trade Promotion Agreement by the August 1, 2010 deadline.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued updated versions of its list of Canadian (July 28, 2010) and Mexico (July 28, 2010) firms eligible to export meat and poultry to the U.S.
FSIS has provided updated information for the export of U.S. meat and poultry to the following country:
On July 28, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency published the latest data on industrial releases and transfers of toxic chemicals in the U.S. between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2009. EPA is making the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data available within weeks of the reporting deadline through its Web site and in the popular tools, TRI Explorer and Envirofacts. The database contains environmental release and transfer data on nearly 650 chemicals and chemical categories reported to EPA by more than 21,000 industrial and other facilities.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued its civil penalties enforcement information for July 28, 2010. Maersk Line, Limited and its wholly owned U.S. subsidiaries, Farrell Lines Incorporated, and E-Ships, Inc., remitted $3,088,400 to settle allegations of violations of the Sudanese Sanctions Regulations and of the Iranian Transactions Regulations. 3M Imtec Corporation, successor in interest to Imtec Corporation, has remitted $125,000 to settle allegations of violations of the Iranian Transactions Regulations and the Export Administration Regulations.
The Department of Commerce’s Internet Policy Task Force is seeking comments by September 13, 2010 for its comprehensive review of the nexus between cybersecurity challenges in the commercial sector and innovation in the Internet economy.
Commerce Secretary Locke visited the UPS Global Operations Center in Louisville, Ky., on July 28, 2010 to highlight opportunities for local Kentucky businesses to sell their goods and services abroad and support job creation in their community. Locke toured the facility and held a discussion with local business owners on how the Commerce Department can help them grow their businesses and create jobs. Expanding on an existing partnership, UPS has joined with the Commerce Department to identify new markets for current exporters and potential candidates to expand their exports with the help of Department resources through the New Market Exporter Initiative.
The Justice Department announced on July 28, 2010 that a former executive from Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corporation (Chi Mei) has agreed to plead guilty and to serve jail time in the U.S. for participating in a global conspiracy to fix the price of thin-film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels. Wen-Hung “Amigo” Huang is the third person to plead guilty in this conspiracy. Under his plea agreement, which is subject to court approval, Huang will serve 9 months in jail, pay a $25,000 criminal fine and assist the department in its ongoing TFT-LCD investigation. TFT-LCD panels are used in computer monitors and notebooks, televisions, mobile phones and other electronic devices.