The American Conference Institute has announced that the 2nd National Forum on Export Enforcement & Investigations will be held on December 5 & 6, 2006 in Washington DC. The conference will include discussions on how the government evaluates voluntary and directed disclosures, negotiating civil settlements with BIS, DDTC, and OFAC, etc. The conference will also feature two optional workshops on December 7, 2006 concerning conducting an effective internal investigation and the do's and don'ts in preparing voluntary disclosures. More information and a registration form is available at www.AmericanConference.com/exports.
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a letter to the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) covering, among other things, the export compliance responsibilities of the forwarding community.
On September 14, 2006, the Senate passed its version of H.R. 4954, the SAFE Port Act. Prior to its passage, the Senate adopted numerous amendments, including an amendment which would, according to the Congressional Record, require the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that all cargo containers are screened before arriving at a U.S. seaport, that all high-risk containers are scanned before leaving a U.S. seaport, and that integrated scanning systems are fully deployed to scan all cargo containers entering the U.S. before they arrive in the U.S. Before passage of H.R. 4954, the Senate rejected an amendment that would have ensured that foreign ports participating in the Container Security Initiative (CSI) scan all containers shipped to the U.S. for nuclear and radiological weapons before loading. (Congressional Record, dated 09/13/06 and 09/14/06, available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r109:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20060913) and http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r109:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20060914).)
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a notice soliciting nominations for membership on the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI). FSIS states that each member is expected to serve no less than a two-year term and notes that it plans to fill 16 to 18 vacancies on the NACMPI). Nomination materials must be received no later than October 12, 2006. (D/N FSIS-2006-0019, FR Pub 09/12/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-15060.pdf)
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has issued a final rule, effective October 5, 2006, that adjusts the number of members on the Hass Avocado Board to reflect changes in the production of domestic Hass avocados in the U.S. and the volume of Hass avocados imported into the U.S. The adjustment results in 7 domestic producer members and alternates and 6 importer members and alternates (rather than 8 domestic members/alternates and 5 importer members/alternates). (D/N FV-06-701-FR, FR Pub 09/05/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/06-7372.pdf)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has published a correction to its July 17, 2006 notice soliciting members for the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions (COAC). CBP is correcting its July 17, 2006 notice by deleting a paragraph under the "Committee Membership" section of the notice regarding COAC members being appointed and serving as Special Government Employees (SGEs). (See ITT's Online Archives or 07/19/06 news, 06071905, for BP summary of CBP's July 17, 2006 notice, which did not address the section now being deleted.(CBP correction, FR Pub 08/15/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-13320.pdf.)
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a notice announcing the name of the newly-designated individual, Abd Al Hamid Sulaiman Al-Mujil, and the names of two additional entities, International Islamic Relief Organization Indonesia Branch Office, and International Islamic Relief Organization Philippines Branch Office (see notice for complete list of aliases, addresses, etc.), whose property and interests are blocked pursuant to Executive Order 13224 of September 2001, "Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism." The designation of the new individual and two new entities is effective July 20, 2006. (OFAC notice, FR Pub 08/09/06, http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-12963.pdf)
The Journal of Commerce reports that Kansas City Southern Railway is expanding its operations in Mexico, connecting the Port of Lazaro Cardenas with Laredo, Texas. Union Pacific Railroad is considering a connection from a yet-to-be established port at Punta Colonet to the Texas border. In addition, BNSF Railway is considering establishing a partnership with a Mexican railroad as ports on that country's Pacific Coast look to become gateways for U.S. imports. (JoC, dated 07/03/06, www.joc.com )
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report entitled Transportation Security Administration (TSA): Oversight of Explosive Detection Systems Maintenance Contracts Can Be Strengthened. The full report (GAO-06-795, dated July 2006) is available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06795.pdf and highlights of the report are available at http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d06795high.pdf.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a notice informing the public that it has developed and published a Notice of Change to it 2004 National Response Plan, which is effective May 25, 2006, and is now available at www.dhs.gov/nationalresponseplan.com. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/12/05 news, 05011299 5, for BP summary of DHS announcement of its completion of the national response plan.) (DHS notice, FR Pub 07/27/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-11998.pdf.)