"Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions" is a regular feature of International Trade Today. The following are brief summaries of recent Capitol Hill actions.
On May 27, 2009, the House Energy and Commerce Committee posted a discussion draft of comprehensive food safety legislation, called the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009.
Comments on certain aspects1 of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's interim final rule that amended 19 CFR to require Security Filing (SF) information from importers and additional information from carriers (10+2) for vessel cargo before it is brought into the U.S. were due by June 1, 2009.
Note that Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions does not appear in today's issue of International Trade Today. Publication of this feature will resume as new information becomes available.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a technical amendment to an interim final rule in order to change the effective date for replacement of the current Guam Visa Waiver Program with a new Guam-Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands Visa Waiver Program and the establishment of six ports of entry in the CNMI to November 28, 2009 (from June 1, 2009). (D/N USCBP-2009-0001; CBP Dec. No. 09-14, FR Pub 05/28/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-12345.pdf)
The Agricultural Marketing Service has issued a proposed rule to amend 7 CFR Part 1150 in order to implement an assessment (tax) on imported dairy products, as required by the 2002 and 2008 Farm bills.
During the May 6, 2009 Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions (COAC) meeting, COAC adopted a white paper on Account Based Processing (which would include what is currently known as Account Management).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued notice that a temporary restraining order implemented in November 2008 and converted into a preliminary injunction, has been preventing CBP from making timely distribution of funds available in fiscal year 2008 for Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp and Prawn from Ecuador, Brazil India, Thailand, Vietnam, and China (case numbers A-331-802, A-351-838, A-533-840, A-549-822, A-552-802, and A-570-893). However, on May 15, 2009 the Court of International Trade dismissed the injunction. Customs is currently processing distributions related to these cases, and distribution will be made as soon as possible. Claims remain subject to verification and audit by appropriate parties. (dated 05/18/09, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/priority_trade/add_cvd/cont_dump/warm_water_shrimp.xml )
CBP has posted the printable versions of eight "ACE Overview" fact sheets for brokers,importers, foreign trade zone operators, ocean and rail carriers, cartmen and lightermen, facilities operators, service providers, and truck carriers.
The National Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders' Association has filed an amicus curiae brief at the Court of International Trade in Lizarraga Customs Broker v. Customs and Border Protection ,et al.