The International Trade Commission has instituted a section 337 patent-based investigation of certain digital cameras pursuant to a complaint.
"Daily Update on Capitol Hill Actions: is a new feature of International Trade Today. The first issue of this feature is lengthier than future issues will be because it also contains actions that took place during the week of March 16, 2009.
The White House has posted remarks by the Vice President at the swearing-in of former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk as U.S. Trade Representative on March 20, 2009. In his remarks, the Vice President emphasized that the USTR's mission is to blaze a trail beyond our borders and come up with innovative ways for our trade policies to inspire a new environment of basic fairness. (Vice President's remarks, dated 03/20/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-Vice-President-Biden-at-the-Swearing-in-of-United-States-Representative-Ron-Kirk/.
The following are the trade-related bills and resolutions that were introduced in the House or Senate during March 16-18, 2009:
On March 18, 2009, the Mexican Government published a notice in its Diario Oficial (Mexico's version of the Federal Register) announcing the imposition of higher tariffs on certain U.S. origin products in response to the U.S. cancellation of the U.S.-Mexico cross-border trucking pilot1.
On March 18, 2009, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1512, which it states would amend the Internal Revenue Code to extend the funding and expenditure authority of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, as well as amend title 49, United States Code, to extend authorizations for the airport improvement program. The bill was subsequently forwarded to the Senate. (Congressional Record, dated 03/18/09, available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r111:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20090318))
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative recently published a notice announcing the availability of 2008 full calendar year import statistics relating to the Generalized System of Preferences Competitive Needs Limitations (CNLs) for the 2008 GSP Annual Review.
Senator Robert Menendez (D) sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Napolitano expressing concern about her testimony which doubted the Department of Homeland Security would be able to meet the Congressionally-mandated July 2012 deadline for 100% scanning. Menendez urges the DHS Secretary to do everything she can to either ensure the July 2012 deadline is fully met or that significant progress towards fulfilling the mandate is achieved. (Menendez press release and letter available at http://menendez.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=309058)
The Office of Textiles and Apparel has posted to its Web site monthly reports containing official January 2009 trade data from the Census Department for U.S. imports and exports of textiles and apparel.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has published a notice detailing (and implementing) a partial delay to its modifications to the list of European Union products and countries subject to a 100% duty rate1 in connection with the World Trade Organization's dispute settlement rulings in the EU beef hormone dispute.