According to Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sources, APHIS is now working on processing the applications it received for participation in the Lacey Act Blanket Declaration Pilot Program. APHIS has not yet given CBP a list of those that have chosen not to participate in the program and whose Line Release/BRASS C4 codes will be deactivated. (CBP was not expected to deactivate any codes until it got APHIS' list.) (See ITT's Online Archives or 05/29/09 news, 09052905, for BP summary announcing that pilot program submissions were to be post marked by May 30, 2009.)

CBP has issued a news release announcing that it is providing supporting documentation on its website for the new ACE entry summary process it successfully piloted in Buffalo last month and in Chicago, Laredo and Long Beach. (See ITT's Online Archives or 05/28/09 news, 09052805, for previous BP summary announcing the availability of these documents.)(News release, dated 06/01/09, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/06012009_3.xml)

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection sources, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative informed compliance period that was recently announced will be applied to ACE e-Manifests as well.

According to CBP sources, the 102 penalty mitigation guidelines are currently under legal review and are expected to be released soon. (See ITT's Online Archives or 05/07/09 news, 09050710, for BP summary of a CBP official stating that the guidelines should be released in a few weeks.)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message announcing that due to unanticipated testing complexities, it is again delaying the deployment of ABI air in-bond functionality. The deployment is now scheduled for summer 2009. CBP states that it will provide the deployment date via a CSMS message when it is available.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message announcing that it has posted new and updated documents to assist with the processing of Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) entry summaries.

At the May 6, 2009 Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions (COAC) meeting, a subcommittee on Air Cargo Security was formally established.

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).

CBP has issued a CSMS message stating that on May 27, 2009, CBP will begin sending two new disposition codes related to Importer Security Filings (ISF) associated to bills of lading when information is requested by an ABI filer for an ocean AMS bill of lading using the IN Cargo/Manifest Status Query. The new disposition codes will be added to Appendix N in the CATAIR. (CSMS 09-000229, dated 05/21/09, available at http://apps.cbp.gov/csms/viewmssg.asp?Recid=17619&page=&srch_argv=09-000229&srchtype=all&btype=&sortby=&sby)

"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.