The Department of Homeland Security will redeploy $50 million of Recovery Act funding originally allocated for the SBInet Block 1 to other tested, commercially available security technology along the Southwest border, including mobile surveillance, thermal imaging devices, ultra-light detection, backscatter units, mobile radios, cameras and laptops for pursuit vehicles, and remote video surveillance system enhancements. (Press release, dated 03/16/10, available at http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1268769368466.shtm)

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico has posted Ambassador Pascual's remarks before the AmCham National Convention in which he suggested "extending" the U.S.-Mexico border to transit hubs throughout Mexico and the U.S., moving security and customs operations to these decentralized points, and creating multiple customs points in certain cities using pre-clearance, automation resources and GPS technology. (Remarks, posted 03/10/10, available at http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/Ambassador/A100310AmCham.html)

The Freight Transportation Services Index rose 0.4 percent in January from its December 2009 level, rising after the index was unchanged in December, the DOT's Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports. The index measures the output of the for-hire freight transportation industry and consists of data from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight. (Press release, dated 03/10/10 available at http://www.bts.gov/press_releases/2010/bts011_10/html/bts011_10.html)

On March 10, 2010, the Commissioners of the Consumer Product Safety Commission voted to approve, with several changes from the staff version, a final rule to replace its September 1, 2009 interim final rule on CPSC's interpretation of the statutory factors it considers in determining civil penalty amounts for "knowing" violations of the prohibited acts in the CPSA, FFA, and FHSA. (Webcast of 03/10/10 meeting available at http://www.cpsc.gov/webcast/previous.html)

The Commerce Department is releasing findings of an analytic report on the differences between the official trade statistics produced by the United States and China. This report was prepared cooperatively by analysts in the United States and China as part of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade Statistics Working Group (JCCT SWG). (Report, posted 03/5/10, available at http://www.esa.doc.gov/SWG03042010.cfm)

The Transportation Security Administration has sent a request for renewal of an information collection on air cargo security requirements to the Office of Management and Budget. The information collection is made up of five categories: security programs, security threat assessments (STA), known shipper data via the Known Shipper Management System (KSMS), cargo screening reporting, and evidence of compliance recordkeeping. TSA requests comments on the renewal request by April 5, 2010. (D/N TSA-2004-19515, FR Pub 03/04/10, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-4443.pdf)

The State Department has posted the transcript from a special briefing on Secretary of State Clinton's trip to Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Guatemala from February 28-March 5, 2010. On the Secretary's agenda, among other things, is a Pathways for Prosperity meeting. (Briefing, dated 02/26/10, available at http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rls/rm/2010/137343.htm._)

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has posted USTR Kirk's remarks, as prepared for delivery, for the Retail Industry Leaders Association Logistic Conference. Among other things, Kirk stated that the USTR is currently seeking to resolve outstanding issues on the Colombian, Korean, and Panamanian Free Trade Agreements in an effort to move those forward at the appropriate time. (Remarks, posted 02/24/10, available at http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/speeches/transcripts/2010/february/remarks-ambassador-ron-kirk-retail-industry)

In its latest budget request, the Consumer Product Safety Commission stresses that its focus will be shifting from implementation of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) to enforcement of it in fiscal year 2011, which begins October 1, 2010.

In remarks to the Business Roundtable on February 24, 2010, the President discussed his Administration's National Export Initiative and the goal of doubling U.S. exports over the next five years. The President also stated that his Administration has launched the Trans-Pacific Partnership to strengthen U.S. trade relations with Asia. For the same reason, the Administration will work to resolve outstanding issues and move forward on trade agreements with key partners like South Korea and Panama and Colombia and conclude a Doha trade agreement that creates real access to key global markets. (Remarks, dated 02/24/10, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-business-roundtable