According to International Trade Commission sources, the ITC is expected to soon post the January 1, 2008 version of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule to its Web site.
On December 14, 2007, President Bush signed into law H.R. 3688, the U.S. - Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA1) Implementation Act.
American Shipper reports that in January 2008 China Shipping Container Lines will become the 15th member of the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement, the Asia-U.S. container shipping discussion agreement. (AS, dated 11/19/07, www.americanshipper.com)
Yahoo! News reports that the White House has threatened to veto a bill to expand federal assistance for retraining workers who have lost their jobs because of trade. In response, Democrats warned that the White House's hopes of winning Congressional approval of trade agreements with Peru, Panama, Colombia, and South Korea were at risk. (Yahoo! News, dated 10/30/07, available at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071030/pl_nm/bush_congress_trade_dc_4)
The Journal of Commerce Online reports that U.S. Customs and Border Protection's 10 2 rule (Security Filing) is at the White House Office of Management and Budget for review, which is the last step before CBP can publish it in the Federal Register. (JoC Online dated 10/30/07, www.joc.com)
The White House has posted a September 27, 2007 letter from President Bush to Congress transmitting legislation and supporting documents to Congress to implement the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA).
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 Online reports that the current and immediate past commissioners of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Basham and Bonner, took a stand against scanning 100% of U.S.-bound containers at foreign seaports before they are loaded aboard ships at the recent conference sponsored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The article opines that a bill to implement the remaining recommendations of the 9/11 Commission report (which calls for 100% scanning) is expected to go to the White House before the August Congressional recess. Basham states that he and Bonner feel the concept is fundamentally flawed, and that trying to legislate 100% scanning does not make sense, and that at a minimum, Congress should be willing to wait for results from the pilot program. (JoC, dated 07/11/07, www.joc.com)
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has posted a statement expressing disappointment regarding the collapse of recent Doha Round negotiations in Potsdam. According to MSNBC, the World Trade Organization's four biggest powers (G4) - the U.S., India, Brazil, and the European Union - left negotiations early after failing to break a six-year logjam between rich and poor countries over eliminating barriers to trade in farm produce and manufactured goods. (USTR's statement, dated 06/21/07, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2007/June/Statement_from_USTR_Ambassador_Susan_C_Schwab_USDA_Secretary_Mike_Johanns_on_Doha_Round.html. MSNBC article, dated 06/22/207, available at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19368605/)
CNN reports that the House passed a $37.4 billion appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security on June 15, 2007, but minority Republicans rallied enough votes to uphold a promised veto by President Bush. The bill exceeds Bush's request for the department by $2.1 billion, or 6%, thus drawing a veto threat from the White House. (CNN, dated 06/19/07, available at http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/18/congress.spending.ap/index.html?eref=rss_latest)