The Consumer Product Safety Commission has published notice of the following voluntary recalls:
The Census Bureau released data indicating that retail sales declined 1.2 percent in May 2010. However, retail sales grew 6.4 percent overall this quarter, following an increase of 8.2 percent in the first quarter. “Today's data reflects what we know to be true: uncertainty remains and there is work left to do to ensure long-term economic stability,” Commerce Secretary Locke said.
According to the Census Bureau, the U.S. international trade deficit in goods and services increased to $40.3 billion in April from $40.0 billion (revised) in March, as exports decreased more than imports.
The Justice Department reports the conviction of two New York importers in one of the largest counterfeit luxury goods prosecutions in U.S. history, with the infringing goods valued at more than $100 million. Chong Lam and Siu Yung Chan, aka Joyce Chan had imported counterfeit handbags, wallets, purses and carry-on bags from China. Lam and Chan each face a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy count, 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine for each trafficking count, and 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each smuggling count.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is correcting its June 4, 2010 Federal Register notice of requirements for infant bath seat third-party testing accreditation in order to correct three dates.
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued a notice that lists those applying for ocean transportation intermediary licenses as a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC), ocean freight forwarder (FF) or NVOCC/FF OTI, as follows:
Various U.S. government agencies are seeking comments on the following information collections for which they have requested or intend to request Office of Management and Budget approval or extension of approval (see notices for specific details):
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued two notices that either reissue or revoke an ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) license, as follows:
On June 9, 2010, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two individuals and two entities linked to the international drug trafficking organization La Familia Michoacana as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs).
On March 16, 2010, the Congressional Research Service issued a report entitled “the Haitian Economy and the HOPE Act.” The CRS report discussed the impact that Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Acts of 2006 and 2008 (i.e., HOPE I and HOPE II) has had on the Haitian economy. Many of the legislative improvements discussed in the CRS report were included in the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Act, which was signed into law on May 24, 2010.