On September 11, 2008, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee reported with amendments S. 2997, a bill to reauthorize the Maritime Administration, and for other purposes (S. Rept. 110-457). (Daily Digest, dated 09/11/08, available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r110:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20080911))
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has posted to its Web site a new General License No. 1 authorizing for 180 days transactions between U.S. persons and two entities that were previously designated pursuant to Executive Order 13405 of June 16, 2006, Blocking Property of Certain Persons Undermining Democratic Processes or Institutions in Belarus.
1. CBP’s Instructions on HOPE II for Haiti Expected Soon
1. LB/LA Ports Notice on Intermodal Container Facility Board Meeting
Nearly 100 members of the International Longshore & Warehouse Union Caucus are meeting in San Francisco from August 18 to August 22 to review the Memorandum of Understanding for the new contract that covers longshore workers and marine clerks that ILWU's Negotiating Committee reached with the Pacific Maritime Association on July 28, 2008. At the end of the week, delegates will decide on whether to send the proposed agreement to the rank and file for their consideration and a vote in September. (ILWU notice, available at http://contract2008.org/.)
WTO Agriculture negotiations chairperson Ambassador Falconer, on August 11, 2008, submitted his report on the July 2008 "package" talks to the Trade Negotiations Committee. Also, non-agricultural market access (NAMA) chairperson Stephenson, on August 12, 2008, submitted his report on the July 2008 "package" talks to the Trade Negotiations Committee. (WTO agriculture negotiations chairperson's report, dated 08/11/08, available at http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/agric_e/chair_texts_11aug08_e.doc; WTO non-agricultural market access chairperson's report, dated 08/12/08, available at
A "strategic alliance" announced earlier this year between air cargo giants UPS and DHL will be the subject of a hearing before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure when Congress returns in September. (Press release, dated 08/08/08, available at http://transportation.house.gov/News/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=729.)
1. EC Proposes to Revise Regulation on Ozone Depleting Substances
During an April 2008 seminar in Austria, Customs and market surveillance authorities from 32 countries (EU; Croatia; Turkey; Norway; Switzerland and the U.S.) agreed to strengthen co-operation to protect the public from imported unsafe products. It was also announced that the European Commission and Hungarian customs administration will host a conference on Single Authorization for simplified procedures/Centralized Clearance as a follow up to the Helsinki Seminar on centralized clearance and to the Vienna Seminar on Single European Authorizsation on October 1-3, 2008. (Information at http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/customs/policy_issues/conference_events/index_en.htm)
The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are seeking applications for the 2008 Goods Movement Emissions Reduction Program. Under this Proposition 1B program, port truckers who own qualifying trucks are eligible to receive up to $50,000 in state funds to partially fund the replacement of their older trucks. (Announcement SPBP-PA001, dated 08/01/08, available at http://www.polb.com/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=5449)