At a June 17, 2009 mark up of the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2749), the House Energy and Commerce Committee adopted a new version of the measure as an amendment in the nature of a substitute.¹

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a proposed rule to establish requirements that manufacturers, including importers, of durable infant or toddler products must follow to enable consumers to register these products and be notified directly if the product is the subject of a recall or safety alert.

The World Customs Organization states that Cuba, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka have deposited their instruments of accession to the revised Kyoto Convention on the simplification and harmonization of Customs procedures with the WCO during the Annual Sessions of the WCO Council. (Press Release, dated 06/26/09, available at http://www.wcoomd.org/press/?v=1&lid=1&cid=6&id=185)

The Census Bureau has issued an Automated Export System broadcast announcing that it has developed AESDirect and AESPcLink Sample Shipment Guides which provide screenshots of the entire filing process in each respective application, along with important information and helpful tips that appear among Census' most frequently asked questions. (Notice, available at http://www.aesdirect.gov/support/userguide.htmlsample_shipments)

The National Industrial Transportation League filed a brief to join the American Trucking Association in its litigation to reverse, on appeal, the portion of a district court order that upheld aspects of the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports' concession programs imposing new requirements on truckers. NITL brief available athttp://www.nitl.org/NITLBrief-No09-55749.pdf

The Office of Textiles and Apparel reports that a revised version of the Chinese textile care labeling code using symbols became effective on March 1, 2009. The revisions bring China's standard into alignment with the international care label standard ISO 3758. (Notice, dated 06/17/09, available at http://web.ita.doc.gov/otexa/hotiss.nsf/7bfa72c94f543da685256e5b00498a4d/442effa40e66e049852575d8004b80f2?OpenDocument)

On June 17, 2009, Brazil, Russia, India and China met to discuss reforms to discuss trade, the global financial system and weigh the possibility of creating a new reserve currency. (Notice, dated 06/12/09, available at http://www.counciloftheamericas.org/article.php?id=1708)

The Federal Maritime Commission has announced that it filed in the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. a motion requesting the court to withdraw the its challenge of FMC Agreement No. 201170, the Los Angeles/Long Beach Port Infrastructure and Environmental Programs Cooperative Working Agreement. (News release, dated 06/16/09, available at http://www.fmc.gov/speeches/newsrelease.asp?SPEECH_ID=281)

On June 10, 2009, the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Health Subcommittee held a mark up of H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 in which the Subcommittee adopted an amended version of H.R. 2749 (an amendment in the nature of a substitute).

The U.S.-China Business Council has posted a press release noting that despite the global economic downturn, 85% of congressional districts increased their exports to China in 2008. The council also posted a mapthat shows U.S. exports to China by state and district (must scroll down). (Press Release, dated 06/11/09, available at http://www.uschina.org/public/documents/2009/06/congressional-district-exports.html)