The Los Angeles Times reports that more than 20,000 international passengers were stranded for hours at Los Angeles International Airport on August 11 as a malfunctioning U.S. Customs and Border Protection computer system prevented U.S. officials from processing the travelers' entry into the country. The computer malfunction only affected LAX, and while CBP officials say it is not the first time the computer system malfunctioned, it was the longest. (LA Times, dated 08/13/07, available at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lax12aug12,1,6412046.story?track=rss)
The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued a final rule, effective August 6, 2007, which amends the Export Administration Regulations by making several technical corrections, including making minor revisions to three final rules.
The Economic Times reports that China and the U.S. have agreed on an initial framework of the memorandum of food safety cooperation, which covers the safety system on food imports and exports, cooperation on the supervision mechanism and regulation standards, information exchange, and the ministerial meetings mechanism. (Economic Times, dated 08/05/07, available at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/China/China_US_agree_on_initial_framework_on_food_safety_accord/articleshow/2258205.cms)
Business Week reports that the European Union is looking into whether the U.S.' introduction of the H.R.1 legislation mandating 100% scanning of overseas container traffic prior to leaving for the U.S. violates World Trade Organization rules. The EU has spoken out strongly against the U.S. scanning plan saying that it would disrupt trade without bringing the added security for which the move is intended, and it would unilaterally transfer the resource burden for protecting the U.S. onto them. (Business Week, dated 08/03/07, available at http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/aug2007/gb2007083_980939.htm?chan=search)
The State Department has issued a final rule, effective July 17, 2007, which amends 22 CFR Part 121 of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations with respect to radiation-hardened microelectronic circuits in Category XV(d) of the U.S. Munitions List (USML).
The White House has issued a press release announcing that President Bush signed the conference version of H.R. 1, the "Implementing the Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007," into law on August 3, 2007. H.R. 1 will, among other things, establish deadlines for 100% scanning of U.S.-bound containers at foreign ports, etc. (White House press release, dated 08/03/07, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/08/20070803-1.html.)
The Journal of Commerce reports that the Transportation Security Administration needs to consider how it will manage appeals from applicants for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential program who are denied credentials after mandatory criminal background checks. Workers may appeal to one of five Coast Guard administrative judges which may be too few to act on appeals from potentially thousands of workers. (JoC, dated 07/23/07, www.joc.com)
Shippers' NewsWire reports that a federal appeals court has struck down current regulations on the number of hours truckers can work over a consecutive period in any week, stating that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration had not properly explained the reasons for the hours of service rules, which were issued in August 2005. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has said that it would seek a stay of the ruling. (SNW, dated 07/25/07, www.americanshipper.com)
The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued a final rule, effective June 19, 2007, which amends the Export Administration Regulations at 15 CFR Parts 742, 743, 744, 748, 750 and 758 to revise and clarify U.S. licensing requirements and licensing policy on exports and reexports to China, among other things.
The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued a final rule, effective August 16, 2007, which outlines penalty guidelines for exporters and explains how cases concerning voluntary self-disclosures of violations of the antiboycott provisions of the Export Administration Regulations will be handled. The guidelines also address how BIS determines the appropriate penalty for the settlement of such cases and represents a codification of BIS' long standing penalty determination practice in antiboycott cases.