U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice announcing that the 2005 annual $125 user fee that is assessed for each Customs broker permit and national permit held by an individual, partnership, association, or corporation is due by January 21, 2005.
The Treasury Department has issued a press release regarding President Bush's termination of the national emergency with respect to Libya and the removal of all remaining economic sanctions that have been in place against Libya since 1986 under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). According to the press release, the President has taken this action in response to Libya's concrete progress in dismantling its weapons of mass destruction and the missiles capable of delivering them.
One of the few surprises at Wed.’s FCC mostly well scripted meeting was a strong statement from Comr. Copps warning that the FCC is still falling short on homeland security. Shortly after the session’s start, Copps -- responding to an FCC report on post-Sept. 11 communications changes that led off a meeting largely focused on homeland security -- addressed at length Commission shortcomings. Sources involved with emergency communications said Thurs. that issues remain, echoing in part Copps’ statements. Copps, sources said, delivered what he viewed as a moderate speech.
In the July 30, 2004 Federal Register, an Executive Order (EO), an interim rule, and a final rule were published in order to, among other things, set forth changes to the U.S. government's export, reexport, and licensing policies with respect to Iraq.
The Department of Transportation's (DOT's) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a final rule which establishes a national hazardous materials (HM) Safety Permit program for motor carriers that transport certain hazardous materials (hazmat carriers).
On June 17, 2004, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4520, the American Jobs Creation Act, by a vote of 251 to 178. H.R. 4520 would, among other things, repeal the Foreign Sales Corporation/Extraterritorial Income Act (FSC/ETI) tax regime (which has been found by the World Trade Organization to be illegal), reduce the top corporate tax rate for domestic manufacturers and small corporations, make certain Customs-related changes, etc. (The Senate passed its own version of this legislation, the Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act (S. 1637), on May 11, 2004. See ITT's Online Archives or 05/13/04 news, 04051399 1, for previous BP summary.)(House Ways and Means Committee press release, dated 06/17/04) available at http://waysandmeans.house.gov/news.asp?formmode=release&id=228.)
On May 14, 2004, the General Accounting Office (GAO) submitted to the Homeland Security Subcommittees of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees a report entitled "Information Technology - Early Releases of Customs Trade System Operating, but Pattern of Cost and Schedule Problems Needs to be Addressed."
The Journal of Commerce Online (JoC Online) has reported that container operations have slowed at the Port of Oakland as a result of striking truck drivers. The drivers are demanding shipping lines pay them increased base rates and fuel surcharges. In addition, the Port of Norfolk is experiencing a strike as truckers there protest delays, difficulty in getting higher pay, and compensation for rising diesel fuel prices. (JoC Pub 05/07/04, www.joc.com)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has published in the Federal Register three separate notices announcing the following:
The Journal of Commerce reports that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Robert Bonner has said that within 60 days CBP will resolve with industry differences over the definition of "shipper" on international cargo manifests. (CBP has announced that it is delaying the full enforcement of the term "shipper" for inbound ocean cargo. See ITT's Online Archives or 02/24/04 news, 04022405, for BP summary.) (JoC Online dated 03/05/04, www.joc.com.)