On May 15, 2008, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee ordered favorably reported with amendments S. 2997, a bill to reauthorize the Maritime Administration (MARAD), and for other purposes. (S. 2997 details available at
On May 15, 2008, the Senate passed the conference version of H.R. 2419, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act (the "Farm Bill") by a vote of 81 yeas to 15 nays, which is more than the 2/3 majority needed to override the President's expected veto. The House also passed the conference version of H.R. 2419 on May 14, 2008 by a veto-proof margin. (Conference version of H.R. 2419 available at http://www.rules.house.gov/110/text/110_hr2419_confrpt.pdf; Joint explanatory statement available at http://www.rules.house.gov/110/text/110_hr2419_jes.pdf.)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued an ABI CSMS message and posted a Web site notice on new requirements for rough diamonds subject to the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme.
On May 14, 2008, the House of Representatives passed the conference version of H.R. 2419, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act (the "Farm Bill") by a vote of 318 yeas to 106 nays, which is more than the 2/3 majority needed to override the President's expected veto. The Senate began its consideration of the H.R. 2419 conference report on May 14, 2008. If the President vetoes the measure, it would still become law if both the House and Senate each override his veto by a two/thirds majority. (Conference version of H.R. 2419 available at http://www.rules.house.gov/110/text/110_hr2419_confrpt.pdf; Joint explanatory statement available at http://www.rules.house.gov/110/text/110_hr2419_jes.pdf.)
The Census Bureau has issued a press release announcing that the U.S.' international deficit in goods and services decreased to $58.23 billion in March 2008 from $61.7 billion (revised) in February, as imports decreased more than exports. (Census press release, dated 05/09/08, available at http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/current_press_release/ft900.pdf)
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has posted another new license, Amended General License No. 14, under its Burmese Sanctions Regulations, which authorizes certain additional financial transactions in support of humanitarian or religious activities in Burma (Myanmar), in the wake of Cyclone Nargis.
The House Agriculture Committee reports that on May 8, 2008, Congressional negotiators announced a final Farm Bill conference agreement. According to a Committee fact sheet, the conference agreement includes, among many other things, a provision to make country-of-origin labeling for meat and produce mandatory. (House Agriculture Committee statement available at http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/FarmBill.html; Fact Sheet on conference agreement summary available at http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/Legislation/110/FB/Conf/FarmBillOnePager.pdf.)
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has posted a new general license under its Burmese Sanctions Regulations that authorizes certain financial transactions in support of humanitarian or religious activities by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Burma (Myanmar).
The Justice Department reports that Tokyo-based Japan Airlines International Co. Ltd. (JAL) has agreed to plead guilty and pay a $110 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix rates for international cargo shipments. (DoJ, dated 04/16/08, available at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2008/April/08_at_302.html)
On April 18, 2008, the President signed into law (Public Law 110-200) a bill to extend certain trade provisions of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 another week to April 25, 2008 (from April 18, 2008). (See ITT's Online Archives or 04/18/08 news, 08041815, for BP summary of the House and Senate passage of the bill.) (White House statement, dated 04/18/08, available at